PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has supported calls for transparency regarding the process by which the country acquired its COVID-19 vaccines.

“Ako po, I am for transparency. Sang-ayon po ako kung ano ang katotohanan po. Transparency kung ano ang totoo,” said Go in an ambush interview after personally assisting fire victims in Navotas City on Wednesday, November 16.

Go has welcomed proposals to look into non-disclosure agreements of the government with vaccine providers made during the height of the pandemic as long as it is in accordance with the law and would not be detrimental to the government and the country. Go also cited that vaccine companies insisted on such agreements for procurement at that time.

“Kung allowed naman pong i-disclose na dahil noong unang panahon po, mayroong non-disclosure agreement ang gobyerno para makabili ng bakuna dahil napakahirap po ng supply ng panahong iyon,” said Go.

“So, ngayon po kung kailangang isiwalat, kung kailangan pong ipakita, dapat ipatawag ng COA (Commission on Audit), ang Department of Health. Kung kailangang ipakita ng Department of Health sa COA for the sake of transparency, ipakita po. At kung sino po ang pumasok sa agreement noon, pwede rin pong ipatawag,” he added.

Go said that former president Rodrigo Duterte would have wanted the same transparency. He emphasized that during the previous administration, then president Duterte did his best to ensure that no public funds are misappropriated.

“Si (dating) pangulong Duterte mismo ay gusto ng transparency, gusto ng katotohanan and always we are for government interest. Interes po ng gobyerno, interes po ng ating mga kababayan at walang masayang ni piso po na pera ng ating mga kababayan,” said Go.

“We are for transparency. Gaya ng sinabi ko, I am always for government interest. Interes po ng gobyerno, interes po ng taumbayan ang parati nating ipaglalaban,” he ended. (OSBG)