MANILA, Philippines – Some senators have questioned the prioritization of some members of the military and government officials in the vaccination against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) sans the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Senator Francis Pangilinan said the advance inoculation of these individuals is a reflection of the government’s unclear program on vaccination rollout.
“Akala ko ba mga medical frontliners at yung mga seniors at mas nasa peligrong kalagayan ng kalusugan ang uunahin?” Pangilinan said in a message to reporters
“Lumalabas na nagkanya-kanya ang mga nasa administrasyon sa pagbabakuna at nag-uunahan pa bago pa man maaprubahan ng FDA ang paggamit ng mga bakuna na ito sa bansa. Inunahan na ba ng Malakanyang ang FDA sa pagtiyak na ligtas nga ba ang mga bakuna na ito?” he added.
For Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, the immunization of some military personnel using an unregistered COVID-19 vaccine will not help in developing public confidence.
“Public confidence is critical to the successful inoculation f our people. Confidence is developed by adhering to a science-based process and the opinion of our vaccine expert panel,” Drilon said in a separate message.
“The inoculation using vaccines not approved by our FDA will not contribute to the need to develop public confidence that the government program will succeed,” he added.
For Senator Imee Marcos, the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination should be done fairly and should prioritize those belonging to sectors vulnerable to the viral disease.
Senate President Vicente Sotto, however, said he sees nothing wrong with the vaccination among soldiers and some government officials as there is no law that prevents Filipinos from taking a vaccine that has yet to be approved by the country’s regulators.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong about that. There is no law that says you cannot take any medicine or vaccine that FDA has not approved,” he said in a message.
Over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte disclosed that many Filipinos have already received a COVID-19 vaccine from China even if regulators have yet to approve any vaccine for local use.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and other military officials have confirmed on Monday that some soldiers, including those assigned in the Presidential Security Group, have been administered with COVID-19 vaccine. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Harlene Delgado)
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