The Makabayan bloc on Thursday filed a resolution urging the Senate House Committee on Health to investigate the millions of expired COVID-19 vaccines amid the pandemic.

In a report by DZRH’s Christian Mano, the House Resolution No. 179 was filed by ACT Teacher Party-list Rep. France L. Castro, Gabriela Women’s party Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel.

Makabayan bloc cited data from Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion that showed that 27 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines worth Php 40 billion pesos expired last July.

Most of the vaccines are from the Covax Facility and some from the private sector.

Last July 29, former Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the country’s vaccine wastage is at 4.7 percent.

“Amid the pandemic and economic crisis, where the Filipino people are suffering from the rising prices of goods and services, it is imperative for Congress to ensure that the people’s money is well-spent and not wasted due to inefficiency and corruption,” the group stated in the resolution.

Makabayan asserted that even if the COVID-19 vaccines were donated, procured, or will be replaced for free, it is still “unacceptable” for the public that there are expired doses.

They stressed out that the public’s taxes are the ones paying the loan and other sources for vaccine procurement, on behalf of the government.

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, Aug. 1, also filed a House Resolution to call for a Senate Investigation.

In her proposed resolution, she said “it is imperative for the government authorities to strive for less COVID-19 vaccine wastage, to accurately and transparently report vaccine wastage, identify drivers of wastage, and implement effective interventions to reduce it.”

Hontiveros cited that there are 4 million to 27 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines worth Php 13.5 billion that are unused and near-expiring.