) – June 6, 2021 – 12:00am
CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon has proposed an ordinance prohibiting the sale, distribution or administration of COVID-19 vaccines in the city by any person, institution, corporation, group or organization for gain, income or profit during a state of public health emergency and without full market authorization duly issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This also aims to prohibit the sale of vaccination slots.
The proposed measure entitled “The Anti-Sale of COVID-19 Vaccines Ordinance in the City of Cebu” was referred to the City Council’s Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling for review.
“At present, the sale and/or purchase of vaccines from private persons or entities are prohibited under the law until a full market authorization is issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration and COVID-19 vaccine suppliers have only been given an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Philippine Government which is not a marketing authorization or a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR), thus the EUA cannot be used as an authorization to market the vaccine commercially. Its validity shall be only within the duration of the declared public health emergency due to COVID-19 and is aimed to expedite availability of the drug to the people based on safety and efficacy performance data,” read the proposed ordinance.
Its objectives are to ensure that no one shall take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccine-for-sale schemes; to protect the interest of the city residents against unscrupulous persons and entities who will prey on the people’s fear and vulnerability to contracting the coronavirus; to support the effective and equitable distribution of limited COVID-19 vaccine supplies in the country; and to help minimize, if not eliminate, the inequities in vaccine distribution.
Section 4 states it shall be unlawful for any person, institution, corporation, group or organization to engage in the sale, distribution or administration of COVID-19 vaccines and the sale of vaccination slots for gain, income or profit, while the country is in a state of public health emergency and without full market authorization issued by the FDA.
Any person caught violating the provisions of the ordinance shall be fined with P5,000 and imprisonment not exceeding six months.
If the violation is committed by a public official or employee of the city government, in addition to the penalties imposed, he or she shall be dismissed and permanently disqualified from holding any city government office or position.
All other public officials and employees caught violating the ordinance shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of pertinent national laws governing the conduct of public officials and employees.
If the violation is committed by a corporation or other juridical entity, the directors, officers, employees, or other officers responsible for the violation shall be charged and penalized.
In addition, the business license issued to the said persons, corporations, group or organizations shall be immediately revoked and shall be banned from doing business in the city. – JMD (FREEMAN)