MANILA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine House of Representatives passed on Monday a bill that creates an indemnity fund to pay Filipinos "in case of death, permanent disability or hospitalization" due to serious side effects after receiving the coronavirus vaccine shots.
The COVID-19 vaccination bill, which includes a provision that allocates an indemnification fund of 500 million pesos (roughly 10.3 million U.S. dollars), also seeks to hasten the government's purchase of the coronavirus vaccines.
"The claim for indemnification for serious adverse event directly arising from the administration of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine must be filed within five years from the day of inoculation," the House bill reads.
The proposed law is vital after vaccine makers Pfizer and AstraZeneca demanded an indemnification agreement and indemnity law at the last minute, causing the delay in delivering vaccines under the COVAX facility.
The House bill also allows the local government units to buy vaccines through a multi-party agreement involving the national coronavirus task force, the Department of Health (DOH), and the vaccine supplier.
The bill also allows provinces, cities, and municipalities to make an advance payment of 50 percent of the total costs to the vaccine manufacturers. It also seeks to exempt vaccines from customs duties, value-added tax, excise tax, donor tax, and other fees.
The bill tasked the DOH to issue vaccine passports to record the vaccinations received by individuals.
The Philippine Senate is crafting its version of the bill.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected the proposal to ease the country's quarantine restrictions "unless there is a rollout of vaccines," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday.
Roque said Duterte "recognizes the importance of re-opening the economy and its impact on people's livelihoods."
"However, the President gives a higher premium to public health and safety," Roque said.
Roque said Duterte wants vaccination "to start the soonest possible time to ease the community quarantine."
The Philippines' Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for the vaccines made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and China's Sinovac in the Philippines.
The government aims to buy 148 million doses of vaccines to inoculate 50 million to 70 million Filipinos this year, starting with health care workers, the elderly, and the poor communities.
The Philippines now has 563,456 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 12,094 deaths. Enditem
