and force businesses to limit operations again is another blow to the private sector.
In November 2020, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion phoned the Philippines' richest to ask them to help bring vaccines into the country, particularly 2.6 million doses fromThe companies agreed to"donate" half of their purchases for the government to be able to vaccinate health workers, before they could get their own supply.
But in a Zoom call on Wednesday, March 17, the private sector participants were told that they would have to team up with a service provider, particularly Zuellig, for their vaccine rollout."We were told to trust the DOH and we were assured of a plan. We negotiated for the vaccines last November, but until now we don't have them because the DOH does not have a plan," the businessman said., we can't do anything but just follow," he added.
The businessman we spoke to noted, however, that the tripartite agreement with a private partner for the rollout should have been arranged earlier on, so as not to surprise partners with more expenses.to let them have their own, more independent rollout. However, Aileen Espina of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 warned that the private sector must work with the government in procuring vaccines, as the doses are only under emergency use authorization , so far.
They still want everything to go through the government, baka sayang kung if it will slip from their hands, mawawala pa.