Tag: Sinovac

Statements March 6, 2021March 6, 2021

Lacson Thankful for Hope Brought by Donated COVID Vaccines

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson expressed thanks over the weekend to the donors of COVID-19 vaccines that arrived in the Philippines recently, saying these give Filipinos hope of recovering from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

Lacson said the vaccines from China-based Sinovac, as well as AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVID-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), will help achieve herd immunity that is a key to resuming economic activities.

“Always grateful to China and COVAX AMC for making us see a sliver of hope to achieve herd immunity,” he said on his Twitter account Friday evening, adding the P2.2-billion daily loss in household consumption and the 9.5-percent economic contraction was driving the country a step closer to insanity until the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines arrived.

Continue reading “Lacson Thankful for Hope Brought by Donated COVID Vaccines” →

Statements, Videos February 22, 2021February 22, 2021

Ping: Partisipasyon ng Pribadong Sektor, LGU sa Vaccination Program Palakasin

Ituring na katuwang ang pribadong sektor at mga lokal na pamahalaan sa programang pagbabakuna ng pamahalaan laban sa COVID-19, sa halip na tratuhin sila bilang kakompetensiya.

Kasabay nito, nanawagan si Senador Panfilo Lacson na mas palakasin ang partisipasyon ng pribadong sektor at mga lokal na pamahalaan sa naturang programa sa pamamagitan ng pagluluwag sa mga ito na makaangkat at maisagawa ang proseso ng pagbabakuna.

Ang kailangan lamang umano ay matiyak ang regular na koordinasyon ng mga ito sa mga mangangasiwa sa programa, ang Department of Health (DOH) at National Task Force Against COVID-19.

“One common mistake that every administration commits is treating the private sector as competitors through over-regulation instead of partners especially during the time of crisis such as this pandemic that we are confronting now,” banggit ni Lacson.

“Let’s face the reality that the private sector does not go through the same bureaucratic delays that their counterpart in the public sector suffers from,” obserbasyon ng mambabatas.

Statements, Videos February 22, 2021February 22, 2021

Lacson Pushes Greater Private Sector, LGU Participation in Vaccination Program

The private sector and local government units (LGUs) should be treated as partners and not competitors in the national government’s COVID-19 vaccination program by being allowed to actively and even proactively procure and administer vaccines, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed Monday.

Lacson said this is as long as they are in close coordination and under the supervision of the Department of Health and National Task Force Against COVID-19.

“Let’s face the reality that the private sector does not go through the same bureaucratic delays that their counterpart in the public sector suffers from,” he added.

Statements January 25, 2021January 25, 2021

Tanong ni Ping: Sobrang Taas na Presyo ng DOH sa Sinovac Vaccines, Sino Nagdikta?

Sino kaya ang nagdikta sa Department of Health (DOH) kaya mataas ang presyo ng Sinovac vaccines na dati nitong binanggit?

Tinanong ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson matapos na nagsabing “not totally acceptable” ang paliwanag ni DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III na hinanap niya lang sa Google ang presyo ng nabanggit na bakuna.

“Unverified reports that some shenanigans working behind the scene might have fed the DOH the unreasonably high price of the Sinovac vaccine could lend credence to the attempt to dupe the Filipino taxpayers even during a pandemic,” pagbubunyag ng mambabatas.

Lumalabas kasi na masyadong malayo ang isiniwalat na presyo na isiniwalat ng DOH kumpara sa mga report na naglalabasan.

“As early as Oct. 14, 2020, it was reported that the price of Sinovac vaccines in Indonesia was about P683. There is also a price range of P650 to P700 per dose that was relayed to us. This is quite far from the P3,629.50 submitted by the DOH to the Senate finance committee in December last year for the 2021 budget deliberations,” nagtatakang pahayag ng senador.

Statements January 25, 2021January 25, 2021

Lacson: Who Fed DOH Unreasonable High Price of Sinovac Vaccines?

Who fed the Department of Health the unreasonable prices of Sinovac vaccines in the Philippines?

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson asked this Monday as he deemed not totally acceptable the explanation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that they “Googled” the price of Sinovac vaccines.

Statements, TV January 19, 2021January 19, 2021

Ping: Isyu sa Sinovac, Sana Naturuan ang Vaccine Officials na Maging Matapat

Sana naging instrumento ang kontrobersya sa Sinovac para matuto ng seryosong aral sa katapatan at walang ikinukubling transaksyon ang mga opisyales na nangangasiwa sa bakuna laban sa COVID-19.

Binigyang diin ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, kasabay ng pagsasabing hindi sana natuon sa Sinovac ang atensiyon ng Senado kung hindi nagpatumpik-tumpik ang mga opisyal.

“If they had been more forthright and honest in their responses in our first hearing, hindi mafo-focus sa Sinovac,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam sa ANC.

Ayon pa sa mambabatas, palagiang handa ang dalawang kapulungan ng Kongreso na makipagtulungan sa ehekutibo kaya nararapat lamang na malaman din nila kung paano ginugugol ang mga pondong kanilang inaaprubahan.

“When the Senate hearings raised more questions than answers about Sinovac, our officials were both tongue-tied and stuttering, leaving us with a string of flip-flopping pronouncements,” bahagi ng privilege speech ni Lacson nitong Lunes.

Statements, TV January 19, 2021January 19, 2021

Lacson Hopes Vaccine Officials Learned Hard Lesson on Transparency

While there is still a long way to go as far as the government’s vaccination efforts are concerned, the controversy involving COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac should be a hard lesson on honesty and transparency for officials in the program, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said that had the officials been forthright about the conditions of negotiations with Sinovac early on, there would have been no speculations or suspicions about the matter.

“If they had been more forthright and honest in their responses in our first hearing, hindi mafo-focus sa Sinovac,” he said in an interview on ANC, stressing that while Congress – the Senate and House of Representatives – are willing partners of the executive department, in return, lawmakers “need to be informed also what happened to the appropriations we gave you.”

Photos, Privilege Speeches, Videos January 18, 2021January 18, 2021

Privilege Speech on the National Vaccination Program

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I rise before you on a matter of collective and personal privilege.

Looking back to last week’s Committee of the Whole 2-day hearings, I couldn’t help but think that we’ve been had. Instead of having the information needed to aid us in our legislative work mainly because some people in the panel of our resource persons who are in charge of the vaccine program were not forthright and honest in their responses to the questions raised by the members of this august chamber.

Nevertheless, we find comfort from the wise words of Winston Churchill, who said and I quote: “Truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but, in the end, there it is.”

At the center of the firestorm that had almost consumed the two-day long hearings and had consumed us the most was the Sinovac vaccine for a number of reasons.

Continue reading “Privilege Speech on the National Vaccination Program” →

Radio, Statements January 17, 2021January 17, 2021

Ping: Presyo ng Sinovac sa Pilipinas, Nangangamoy Katiwalian

Nangangamoy ‘tong-pats’ ang lumulutang na presyo ng bakuna ng Sinovac sa Pilipinas, kumpara sa presyo nito sa ibang bansa.

Ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, ito ay kung pagbabatayan ang $5 kada turok na presyo sa ibang mga bansang naunang nakipagtransaksyon sa kumpanya para masigurado ang suplay at sa $38 (mahigit P1,800) per dose na ibinabalitang presyo sa Pilipinas.

Pero ayon kay Lacson, kung sakali mang totoo na ang sinabi ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. na P650 kada turok ang magiging presyuhan sa bansa, ibig sabihin nito ay nagawa ng Senado ang obligasyon nito para sa makatuwirang presyo ng bakuna.

“If it’s true that government is now dropping the price of Sinovac vaccine from P1,847.25 per dose to only P650, the Senate has probably done our share to save our people billions of pesos in the country’s vaccination program. Netizens can pat themselves on the back,” paliwanag pa ni Lacson sa kanyang Twitter account.

Radio, Statements January 17, 2021January 17, 2021

Lacson: Differences in Sinovac Prices Smack of Corruption

Sharp differences in the prices of Sinovac vaccines in the Philippines and elsewhere may smack of corruption, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson noted that while Sinovac’s product may cost as little as $5 per dose, it may cost as much as a whopping $38 (more than P1,800) in the Philippines.

But Lacson said that if it is true the government is dropping the price of Sinovac vaccines to only P650 per dose, the Senate may have done its share to save billions of pesos in the government’s vaccination efforts.

Hearings/Investigations, Statements, Videos January 15, 2021January 15, 2021

Walang Pulitika sa Pagdinig na Ito: Second Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination

At the second hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on the government’s vaccination efforts, Sen. Lacson debunked insinuations of politics in the hearings.

Continue reading “Walang Pulitika sa Pagdinig na Ito: Second Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination” →

Statements, Videos January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

Ping: Gobyerno May “Chosen One” Bakuna Na

Malinaw na malinaw ang mga senyales na may “chosen one” na bakuna laban sa COVID-19 ang gobyerno, sa kabila ng kawalan pa ng Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) sa kahit na anong kumpanyang gumagawa nito.

Ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, ang binabanggit ng gobyerno na Sinovac lamang ang puwedeng magamit hanggang sa Hunyo ay nagpapatunay ng pagkakaroon na ng “chosen one” na bakuna.

“Can somebody explain why preference is given to the second most expensive vaccine, has lower efficacy, a record of suspended clinical trials and has not even applied for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) over other vaccines that cost much less, more efficacious and are about to be granted their EUAs?” banggit ni Lacson sa Twitter.

Mas makatuwiran umano para sa mga Pinoy kung ang pagtrato ng gobyerno sa Sinovac ay gagawin din sa mga bakuna ng ibang bansa na di-hamak na mas epektibo at mas mababa ang presyo, ayon sa mambabatas.

“That said, the national government should expedite the procurement of all qualified and available vaccines. To borrow Secretary Harry Roque Jr.’s words, it should not be choosy in buying vaccines,” diin ni Lacson.

Statements, Videos January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

Why Choosy? Lacson Scores Sinovac’s 5-Month Headway

After telling ordinary Filipinos not to be choosy in getting their COVID vaccines, the government should apply the same line in expediting the procurement of all qualified and available vaccines, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson noted the availability of only Sinovac until June, as well as the replies of officials at Monday’s Senate hearing, indicate China-based Sinovac is the “chosen one.”

Statements January 12, 2021January 13, 2021

On the (Lack of) Choices for Vaccines

It’s not fair to say that Filipinos cannot choose their vaccines, at least from those made available by the government.

It’s bad enough that the national government virtually controls which brand/s of vaccines to procure. Pati ba naman ang pagpili kung ano ituturok sa braso ng mga Pilipino, hindi pa rin pwede mamili ang Pilipino?

Bakit ko naman pipiliin ang brand na 50% lang ang efficacy at wala man lang application for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), against other brands with 79% and/or 95% efficacy and have pending EUA approval from the Food and Drug Administration?

Having said that, we can only pray and hope that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Health properly implement the vaccination plan they laid out during our Senate hearing Monday.

While the plan may sound good, the difference is in the implementation – the reaction and responses to emergencies. Without proper execution, a plan no matter how good it is written and presented, won’t mean anything.

*****

Hearings/Investigations, Videos January 11, 2021January 13, 2021

‘Wala bang Sense of Urgency?’ Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination

At the first hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on the government’s vaccination efforts, Sen. Lacson detailed how incompetence and lack of urgency slowed down the government’s efforts to procure COVID vaccines.

MORE DETAILS:
Continue reading “‘Wala bang Sense of Urgency?’ Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination” →

Radio, Statements January 10, 2021January 10, 2021

Ping: Frontliners, Naghihintay Kung Kailan at Paano Mababakunahan

Dapat na alam ng mga frontliner ang detalye ng vaccination plan ng pamahalaan – kung talagang may ganoong plano.

Ipinunto ni Senador Panfilo Lacson na isa ito sa pagtutuunan niya ng pansin sa pagdinig na isasagawa ng Senado sa pamamagitan ng Committee of the Whole sa Lunes.

Ayon sa mambabatas, mga frontliners ang nasa bungad ng panganib sa pagharap ng Pilipinas sa pandemya ng COVID-19 kung kaya’t tama lamang na maimpormahan ang mga ito sa mga galaw ng pamahalaan tungkol sa bakuna.

“The frontliners deserve to know because they are the ones who go to the morgues, they are the ones who attend to COVID patients. They deserve to know if they would be prioritized in the vaccination program. There is no reason for the officials concerned to ask for an executive session on this because there is nothing confidential or classified about it. Wala namang kalaban dito; ang kalaban natin dito, sakit. Hindi naman yan sasagot,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam sa DZBB.

Radio, Statements January 10, 2021January 10, 2021

Lacson: Frontliners Deserve to Know Details of Overall Vaccination Plan

Frontliners who have risked their lives amid the ongoing pandemic deserve to know the details of the government’s overall vaccination plan – if there is one, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson said this is one of the points he will pursue when the Senate Committee of the Whole holds its first hearing on the matter on Monday.

“Do we have a clear vaccination plan? Based on our conversations with doctors and frontliners, it appears we don’t. But frontliners are waiting to know when they would be prioritized in the vaccination program,” he said in an interview on DZBB.

PING LACSON

Tag: Sinovac

Lacson Thankful for Hope Brought by Donated COVID Vaccines

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Ping: Partisipasyon ng Pribadong Sektor, LGU sa Vaccination Program Palakasin

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Lacson Pushes Greater Private Sector, LGU Participation in Vaccination Program

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Tanong ni Ping: Sobrang Taas na Presyo ng DOH sa Sinovac Vaccines, Sino Nagdikta?

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Lacson: Who Fed DOH Unreasonable High Price of Sinovac Vaccines?

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Ping: Isyu sa Sinovac, Sana Naturuan ang Vaccine Officials na Maging Matapat

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Lacson Hopes Vaccine Officials Learned Hard Lesson on Transparency

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Privilege Speech on the National Vaccination Program

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Ping: Presyo ng Sinovac sa Pilipinas, Nangangamoy Katiwalian

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Lacson: Differences in Sinovac Prices Smack of Corruption

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Walang Pulitika sa Pagdinig na Ito: Second Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination

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Ping: Gobyerno May “Chosen One” Bakuna Na

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Why Choosy? Lacson Scores Sinovac’s 5-Month Headway

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On the (Lack of) Choices for Vaccines

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‘Wala bang Sense of Urgency?’ Senate Hearing on COVID Vaccination

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Ping: Frontliners, Naghihintay Kung Kailan at Paano Mababakunahan

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Lacson: Frontliners Deserve to Know Details of Overall Vaccination Plan

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