DEPARTMENT of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government will seek restitution if claims of tampering with the production date of the face shields delivered by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation are validated.
Duque said he has ordered the re-inspection of the medical-grade face shields.
Pharmally administrative assistant Krizle Bago earlier told the Senate blue ribbon committee that she was instructed to change the production date of the face shields to 2021 from 2020. Altering the manufacturing date would also change the expiry date.
It was not explained why the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management accepted the deliveries with the tampered product certificates. Based on the claim that the manufacturing date was changed to 2021, Pharmally should not have been able to deliver these items a year earlier in 2020.
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s weekly Talk to the People on Monday, September 27, 2021, Duque said the face shields are good for 36 months.
Since the manufacturing date was changed to 2021 instead of 2020, he said the government has lost one year.
“At kung totoong mayroon pong pandaraya o ito pong ginawa ng Pharmally ay kinakailangan ay bawiin ng gobyerno doon sa kompanyang iyan iyong isang taon na kanila pong tinamper. Kasi kung halimbawa 36 months ano po at tinamper 'yung production date from 2020 to 2021, so may isang taon na daya. So kinakailangan 'yung isang taon na 'yun magkaroon ng restitution sa gobyerno iyong halaga nung face shield,” Duque told the President.
Duterte said he could not understand why face shields, which are made of plastic, expire.
“Paano ito mag-expire? Unless abusuhin mo, itapon-tapon mo. Pero kung isuot mo lang at ilagay mo nang magandang pagkalagay, ganoon, paanong magexpire ‘yan? Well, mag-expire, but maybe it would take about 10, 15 years. Iyan mag-expire ‘yan dahil sa scratches. Pag alaga, hindi sa pag-alaga. Eh kung mapa.. maalagaan mo lang ‘yan, matagal ‘yan,” Duterte said.
Duque explained that the foam that forms part of the face shield turns brittle.
“Iyong foam po iyon ang nagde-deteriorate sa mahabang panahon, brittle and nagiging powder, sir, at saka 'yung kanyang garter nagiging brittle din po at 'yun po ang tinatawag natin na may shelf life of about 36 months,” Duque said. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)