Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday called on the government to be transparent and prudent in its procurement of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure the best price in the negotiation process.
In a short manifestation during the plenary session, Go said the government is also mandated to ensure proper and full accounting of public funds used, noting that these should be disclosed to the public at the proper time without compromising the ongoing negotiations.
“I urge Vaccine Czar Secretary (Carlito) Galvez to explain the process further without compromising ongoing efforts to procure and administer as many vaccines as needed for our people,” he said.
Go said that in the spirit of transparency, Galvez could disclose the prices of all vaccines at the appropriate time to allay any doubts of the public.
“Magtiwala po tayo sa ating gobyerno. I am personally aware na bago pa man nagsimula sa social media ang mga kuro-kuro at haka-haka, masusi na po ang pagtrabaho ng mga opisyal ng ating pamahalaan to get the best for our country and for every Filipino (Let us trust in the government. I am personally aware that before all the speculations started on social media, government officials have been diligently working to get the best for our country and for every Filipino),” he said.
Go reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment that his administration will do everything to ensure that the national vaccination program is safe, sure and secure from approval to rollout and implementation.
“Para kay Pangulong Duterte, ang kalusugan at kaligtasan ng bawat Pilipino ay nasa sentro ng programa natin. Ito ang responsibilidad na ginagampanan natin palagi (For President Duterte, the health and safety of every Filipino is the center of our program. This is the responsibility that we perform). Our officials will be measured by their adherence to the President’s guidance,” he said.
Go, meanwhile, appealed to concerned authorities to expedite the process of acquiring vaccines and collaborate with the private sector and local government units for the proper implementation of the National Covid-19 Vaccine Roadmap.
“Huwag na nating pahirapan pa dahil lahat naman tayo nagmamadali dito. ‘Yun po ang inaantay natin para unti-unti na tayo makabalik sa normal na pamumuhay (Let’s not make things hard since everyone of us is in a rush. We are waiting for this (vaccine) so that we could return to our normal lives). Let us work together to ensure that no Filipino is left behind in the road towards recovery,” he said. (PNA)
