Palace reiterates only Galvez is responsible for vaccine procurement amid concern vs PITC

November 23, 2020

Malacanang reiterated on Monday that only National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. will oversee the purchase of the vaccines against coronavirus disease once they are available.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after some senators raised concern about the ability of the state-run Philippine International Trading Corp. to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

"The President (Rodrigo Duterte) said, 'I want only one person to handle the vaccine,' and that is Secretary Galvez. So the track record of PITC has nothing to do with that because Secretary Galvez will ensure that we can import sufficient vaccines to be used for our countrymen," he said in a televised press briefing in Davao City.

He said that Galvez would ensure that the Philippines could import the vaccines "promptly and efficiently."

Senator Ralph Recto, in particular, during a Senate deliberation on the proposed budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government last week cited PITC's delays in purchases of government requirements, such as the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, some senators said if PITC would handle the procurement, they could be obsolete before they arrive in the country.

PITC, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, is mandated to engage in export and import trading of new or non-traditional products and markets not normally pursued by the private business sector; and provide a wide range of export oriented auxiliary services to the private sector. Celerina Monte/DMS