By NG Seruela
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte tasked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to supervise the handling of the COVID-19 vaccines.
In his public address, President Duterte tapped the DILG to supervise the handling of the vaccines as they are being distributed in various areas of the Philippines.
“I would insist that the DILG would be part of the supervisory team kasi gusto kong malaman rin ni Secretary Año if everything is done according to what has been planned. So pag-aralan anong plano dito and they can point out if there is a lack of whatever in the handling and the observance of all rules that would ensure the integrity of the vaccines,” he said.
President Duterte explained that it is easier for the said department to “move around and get the cooperation of everybody.”
“You know, from the DILG, madali kasi sila. They go to the police, the police can [radio in], and immediately we would know what is wrong and what is maybe inadequate so we can always sound the alarm on time.”
“Secretary Año can use the police or whatever as long as there’s always a third person or a second guy to see to it that itong chain of events must be followed and there must be no — there has to be no faltering because I said it will affect the integrity of the [vaccines],” he added.
Duterte also said that the DILG representative must submit a separate report.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. agreed with the Chief Executive and said they will create a directive to “ensure the preservation of the integrity of the vaccine and the cold chain temperature requirement [of the vaccines].” -rir
