De Lima presents a bill to guarantee free COVID-19 vaccines for all Filipinos

MANILA – Arrested Senator Leila de Lima introduced a bill that seeks to provide free COVID-19 vaccines for all Filipinos.

Under Senate Bill No. 1942 or the “Libreng Bakuna Kontra COVID-19 Para sa Lahat ng Pilipino Act”, the government is mandated to carry out a “free voluntary vaccination” program for all Filipinos, but it must prioritize “vulnerable and front-line sectors.”

“The cost of universal vaccination may seem too high, but later on it could be the same tool that will help the government save more money to create and institutionalize more programs for the well-being of all,” De Lima said in a statement Sunday.

“It cannot be overstated: vaccine coverage is as important as vaccine efficacy,” he said.

Those who will receive the vaccine must give their consent before being vaccinated.

Medical personnel who will administer the COVID-19 vaccine must inform the recipient of the following details:
– Brand to manage
– Nature of the vaccine
– How the vaccine is administered
– People for whom the vaccine is intended
– People who are forbidden or not recommended the vaccine
– Side effects of the vaccine, if any
– Vaccine efficacy period
– Official website of the DOH and lATF-EID or social media pages where information about the vaccine is available

“A concrete plan of action that will universally promote the right of all Filipinos to health is vital to winning this battle against COVID-19,” said De Lima, former chairman of the Human Rights Commission.

“A vaccination plan that is inclusive will be an instrument to create herd immunity in a country of more than 100 million.”

A fund for the COVID-19 vaccine has been allocated in the amount of P72.5 billion under the proposed national budget for 2021, but economic managers said the amount could cover only poor Filipinos.

Some private companies have also reached an agreement with the government and the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines next year.

Health experts previously said that the Philippines needs to vaccinate at least 60 million Filipinos to develop a herd immunity against the new coronavirus.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the COVID-19 vaccine could be available in the Philippines in the first or second quarter of next year.

“In the best case, maybe March, towards the end or the first quarter of 2021, or the second quarter, which is April. So far, global supply is not in line with demand. Vaccines are being created by vaccine manufacturing companies, ”Duque said last Friday.

The Philippines has registered 449,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases, as of December 13, of which 8,733 resulted in deaths and 418,687 have recovered. Active cases stood at 21,980.

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