Govt. checks cold storage facility for COVID-19 vaccines

P20 million ‘ukay-ukay’ seized in Pasay City

On Feb 8, 2021

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and PH ‘Vaccine Czar’ Carlito Galvez, while checking a mobile cold storage facility in Parañaque City last February 5, 2021. Also in the photo are NAIA district collector, Carmelita Talusan and (partly hidden beside Talusan) BOC deputy commissioner, James Dy Buco (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

THE government last week visited a privately-owned cold storage facility in Parañaque City as the country ramps up its preparation for the arrival of millions of doses of vaccines against COVID-19.

Prior to the visit last February 5, 2021, the government team, headed by ‘Vaccine Czar’ Carlito Galvez and Department of Health secretary, Francisco Duque III, was briefed by Royal Cargo chief executive, Michael Kurt Rauber, on the capacity and readiness of their company to accommodate the bulk of COVID-19 vaccines imported by the government, the first batch of which are expected to arrive anytime this month.

Also composing the government team are DOH undersecretary Carol Taino, national task force director, Teodoro Herbosa, Bureau of Customs deputy commissioner for assessment and operation (AOCG) Edward James Dy Buco and NAIA district collector, Carmelita ‘Mimel’ Talusan.

To expedite the vaccines’ release, many of which are expected to be course thru the NAIA, Talusan discussed her district’s preparedness to meet the challenge and the clearance process the bureau has prepared thru the creation of a ‘24/7 One Stop Shop.’

Dy Buco, for his part, discussed the bureau’s ETRACC System, a project of Commissioner Rehy Leonardo Guerrero, which may be used for the actual monitoring of COVID vaccine arrivals.

Some of the hundreds of bales of used clothing (“ukay-ukay”) found by a BOC composite team from the Port of Manila inside several warehouses along Cuneta Avenue, Pasay City, last January 21, 2021 and valued at more than P20 million (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

Aside from the one-stop shop center at the NAIA, Dy Buco further bared that similar desks have been created in the country’s various ports which shall serve as coordinating office with different concerned government agencies to ensure immediate facilitation and release of the imported vaccines.

In nearby Pasay City, Port of Manila (POM) officials belatedly reported on the recovery of of smuggled used clothing (“ukay-ukay”) at several warehouses along Cuneta Avenue last January 21, 2021.

Through a Letter of Authority (LOA) issued by Guerrero, the customs team from the POM’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), with the support from the Enforcement and Security Service Quick Reaction Team (ESS-QRT), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) swooped down on the facilities where they found bales of the used clothing with an estimated total value of P20 million.

POM district collector Michael Angelo Vargas informed Guerrero that he has already issued a ‘warrant of seizure and detention’ (WSD) against the confiscated shipment while a deeper investigation is still ongoing to unmask those behind the smuggling attempt.