(Daniel Schludi / UNSPLASH / MANILA BULLETIN)
House Bill No. 8648 or the proposed “Emergency Vaccine Procurement Act of 2021” filed by House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano primarily seeks to amend certain provisions under Republic Act No. 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”
Under the measure, the LGUs’ procurement, importation, storage, transport, distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines shall be exempted from customs duties, value added tax (VAT), excise tax and other fees, provided that the vaccines purchased would only be distributed to residents and constituents not for commercial distribution.
The bill was originally approved by the House Committee on Appropriations but was later referred to the ways and means panel for the approval of the tax provision.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
The two legislative measures grants LGUs the authority to purchase vaccines for their constituents without observing the stringent procurement regulations provided by Republic Act 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”
House Bill 8648 or the “Emergency Vaccine Procurement Act of 2021” is authored by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Minority Leader Joseph Stephen “Caraps” S. Paduano and Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
On the other hand, HB 8649 with the same title as HB 8648 was filed by Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua.
The two proposals seek to expedite the purchase and administration of vaccines by giving LGU’s exemption from compliance with the strict public bidding requirement under RA 9184.