Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. revealed that the country ‘s deal with Pfizer to deliver 10 million doses of vaccine to the country by January will not be pushing through after someone ‘dropped the ball’.
“That said my thanks just the same to US Sec of State Mike Pompeo we—Babe Romualdez (Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Romualdez) and I—got 10 million doses of Pfizer financed by World Bank and ADB to be shipped thru FEDEX to Clark in January. But somebody dropped the ball. I have steel ball bearings. I just need a slingshot,” Locsin said in a tweet.
Locsin did not disclose the government official involved on this missed opportunity.
During a Commission on Appointments (CA) hearing for the nomination of two Philippine ambassadors earlier today, Senator Ping Lacson asked Locsin: “Mr. Secretary, who dropped the ball? We couldn’t care less if he’s your captain ball. Huddle with your coach to replace him immediately. This is one game we can’t lose.”
Locsin went on by saying that the Pfizer and Moderna are not asking for advance payments which was previously opposed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Babe and I did our brilliant job. Next thing it was questioned as Pfizer/Moderna demanding money down when that was never asked. Babe and I moving on to more challenges equally brilliantly surmounted. Babe & I will wear RayBan when we meet face to face [because] of our shared radiance,” Locsin said.
Lacson commended Locsin, “I wish you and Babe good luck in your next effort to intercept the ball. Next time, don’t pass it to that doggone ‘sanamagan’ teammate of yours. He keeps dropping the ball. Our people need those vaccines.”
Later, Romualdez clarified that the deal for 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines was not completely halted, but has been pushed back at a later date.
