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Duterte signs COVID-19 vaccine indemnification law

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/02/23/20210201-duterte-monday-ho-1.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Feb. 1, 2021. <em>Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that sets up an indemnification fund to compensate those who would suffer adverse effects from COVID-19 shots, the first batch of which is set to arrive this weekend, Malacañang said Friday.</p><p>Duterte signed the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, his spokesman Harry Roque said in a text message. </p><p>The law will establish a P500-million COVID-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund that state medical insurer PhilHealth will manage, lawmakers earlier said.</p><p>Vaccine manufacturers want protection from future product liability claims before they deliver the shots, authorities said.</p><p>The lack of an indemnity deal had delayed the arrival of 117,000 Pfizer doses from COVID-19 vaccine-sharing COVAX Facility, initially expected in mid-February. </p><p>In a separate statement, Roque said the signing of the measure would fast-track the country&#x27;s procurement and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. </p><p>&quot;It covers the creation of an indemnity fund to cover compensation for those who would experience serious adverse effects to the vaccine,&quot; the official said. </p><div><strong>WATCH: When will we get vaccinated vs COVID-19? | NXT</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OfxfTaUf1rI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>The Philippines is negotiating supply agreements with seven manufacturers for 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, so it can inoculate 70 million adults, or two-thirds of its more than 108 million population.</p><p>The government expects the bulk of the country&#x27;s COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in the third and the fourth quarters of 2021. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/24/21/galvez-bulk-of-covid-19-vaccine-supply-for-ph-to-arrive-by-3rd-quarter-of-2021">Galvez: Bulk of COVID-19 vaccine supply for PH to arrive by 3rd quarter of 2021</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/infographic/03/17/20/tracking-covid-19-cases-in-the-philippines">Tracking COVID-19 cases in the Philippines</a></li></ul>

<p>The law will establish a P500-million COVID-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund that state medical insurer PhilHealth will manage, lawmakers earlier said.</p>

The law will establish a P500-million COVID-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund that state medical insurer PhilHealth will manage, lawmakers earlier said.