Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo (PCOO)
Panelo informed Robredo that the arrival of the initial batch of doses of vaccines from Pfizer has been hampered by issues related to indemnification requirements. A bill seeking to establish an indemnification fund for people who suffer bad side effects after getting the COVID vaccines is already pending in Congress, he said.
The vice president earlier expressed concern about the delay in the country’s vaccination program, saying that even Bangladesh has began its inoculations ahead of the Philippines.
“Alam mo ikaw VP Leni. Parang ikaw hindi ka nagbabasa ng dyaryo, hindi ka nakikinig sa mga komentaryo. Mayroon naman Senate hearing, nagpapaliwanag naman yan si Sec Charlie Galvez at sinasabi kung bakit nade-delay at hindi natin kasalanan (You know VP Leni, it seems that you’re not reading the newspapers, you’re not listening to commentaries. There have been Senate hearings and Secretary Charlie Galvez has explained the reason for the delay and it is not our fault),” Panelo said during his “Counterpoint” program Saturday, Feb. 20.