DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez
MANILA – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said there is no need to sell government properties to buy vaccines for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) once these become available.
“We don’t need to sell a property. That’s why, we will be buying through PITC (Philippine International Trading Corp.) in order to directly source the fund from DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines) and Land Bank (of the Philippines),” Lopez said during the Laging Handa public briefing Friday.
Lopez also chairs the PITC, a state trading company under DTI that will be responsible for the purchase of the Covid-19 vaccines.
“PITC will buy the vaccine requirement of DOH (Department of Health). But the details as to (what) brand, quantities, target price, timetable are yet to be finalized,” the trade chief told reporters in a text message.
He said the government targets to give free vaccines to at least 20 million Filipinos who are the poorest of the poor in the country.
Lopez added the PITC can also import the vaccines for the private sector so they can purchase these at a discounted price.
“What the government is saying is that the poorest of the poor will be the priority (for the vaccine), but nobody is preventing anyone also from importing the vaccines,” he said. (PNA)
