PRESIDENTIAL Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said local government units (LGUs) should not purchase coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines directly from the pharmaceutical company as LGUs are in a tripartite agreement with the National Government and the company.
"Dili pwede ang LGU nga modiretso, kailangan naay approval ang National Government," Andanar said.
"The local government must always accede to the national government. Meaning the national government will be the ones to purchase kay government to government man ni," he added.
Several LGUs have recently announced that they are setting aside funds that will be used to purchase Covid-19 vaccines from the pharmaceutical company of their choice.
Andanar said while LGUs willing to spend their own funds is good for the National Government that there as funds intended for these LGUs will be allocated to other areas with a lack of funds, these LGUs must be careful as the vaccines granted with emergency use authority are not commercial vaccines.
"I understand na wala ni insurance. Kung ma-spoil, dili sya alisdan, dili parehas anang commercially available, naay commercial certificate nga obligado ang pharma nga alisdan," Andanar said.
The PCOO secretary said there are vials/doses that require certain temperature conditions and are very sensitive even when stored inside the refrigerator or cold storage.
"Ang sulti sa mga doctor nga very sensitive kana nga mga vaccines kay even inside the refrigerator, there are certain areas sulod sa refrigerator nga dili even ang temperature," Andanar said.
"That's why the LGUs must be very careful the way that the National Government is also very careful kay one dosage wasted is a taxpayer's money nga masayang," he added.
Andanar said he will be meeting with the officials of the LGUs in Northern Mindanao to talk about the vaccination rollout.