Senator Risa Hontiveros is seeking an investigation into alleged wastage of enormous volumes of COVID-19 vaccines estimated at about P5 billion to P13 billion.
The opposition senator filed a resolution calling for the inquiry, saying this large-scale wastage of vital medicine should never be tolerated.
Hontiveros filed the measure amid reports of unused and expired COVID-19 vaccines amounting to multiple billions of pesos, described as way beyond the estimated figures of inevitable vaccine wastage.
According to various reports, from April to July, it was possible that some four million to 27 million of unused and expired doses COVID vaccines were garbage bound.
“Of course, we know many vaccines have not been used due to various reasons. There’s really a margin of error,” Hontiveros admitted.
Her resolution also stated that it was imperative for the government to strive for less COVID-19 vaccine wastage, to accurately and transparently report vaccine wastage, identify drivers of wastage, and implement effective interventions to reduce it.
The Department of Health (DOH) was targeting 11 million to 23 million vaccinated Filipinos for the booster shots within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.
“Huwag sana nating sayangin ang tiwala at pagtatiyaga ng ating mga kababayan na makiisa sa national vaccination drive. Kailangang maturukan ang ating mga kababayang nais maprotektahan ang kanilang mga sarili laban sa COVID-19.” Hontiveros stressed.