BAGUIO CITY--The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Cordillera is stepping up its efforts to prevent the sale of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination slots.

“It has come to the attention of our Department that there are unscrupulous individuals/groups initiating schemes to sell COVID-19 vaccines for profit, while others promise to provide vaccination slots or schedules in exchange for valuable consideration,” said DILG-CAR.OIC-Regional Director Araceli San Jose.

These individuals are taking advantage of the people’s desire to get vaccinated as early as possible.

She said  that even as there is no reported case yet in the Cordillera, the Department is stepping up its advocacy against such schemes as she warned that perpetrators will be punished accordingly.

“We are urging our local government units (LGUs) to enact ordinances providing penalties for those who sell COVID-19 vaccines owned or donated to the government,” she said.

 “Penalties may also be meted against those who provide or promise to provide vaccination slots or schedules in exchange for valuable consideration,” she added,

San Jose also urged the local chief executives (LCEs) to institute a mechanism through which the public may report individuals or entities engaged in illicit vaccine-for-sale schemes.

“Rest assured that the COVID-19 vaccines that are being administered by the government are free, thus slots or schedules are accessible to all those who belong to the eligible population without cost and should only acquire doses of vaccines from legitimate sources,” she said.  

The Philippine National Police is reminded to work closely with their respective LGUs to act immediately and appropriately on reports of the said schemes obtained from the LGUs or the general public and ensure that perpetrators of vaccine-for-sale schemes are punished to the full extent of the law.

Meanwhile, the DILG CAR issued an advisory directing all LGUs to ensure the full vaccination of their constituents and to immediately trace those who have yet to complete their vaccine doses. (DILG CAR)