22 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 93 Senator Richard Gordon filed a bill last 18 January 2021 seeking to expand the country’s pool of vaccinators for the implementation of the government’s national program for immunization in times of epidemics, pandemics, and national health emergencies.75 94 Section 1 of Senate Bill (SB) No. 1987 filed states that non-medical practitioners that will be part of the said training will be allowed provided that they will be given the appropriate training, certification and authority by the DOH, and that they will perform their duties under the supervision of a duly registered physician and for a limited period only contingent upon the existence of the national health emergency for which it is called.76 95 National Policy Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that the government will be conducting a series of “time and motion” simulations on the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccines, in preparation of it’s arrival in the country. The steps include “from arrival of the vaccines to the airport’s point of entry, going to the warehouse and to the point of distribution.” 77 96 On 11 February 2021, The House Committee on Appropriations approved to pass House Bill 8648, in consolidation with House Bill 8649, which seeks to fast-track vaccine purchase by allowing local government units to directly buy doses from pharmaceutical firms.78 LGUs may enter into a tripartite agreement to secure vaccines from AstraZeneca, Moderna and Novavax.79 97 The medical professionals from the Visayas are paying it forward in the fight against COVID-19. At least 66 doctors, nurses, and medical technologists (50 from Regions 7 and 16 from Region 8 ) have flown to NCR Plus to help colleagues and hospitals overwhelmed by a resurgence of cases. Fifty of them were sent off on Wednesday, 07 April 2021. The volunteers were assigned at the National Kidney Transplant Institute, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Rizal Medical Center, and Tondo Medical Center for three months.80 98 Additional nurses from Central Visayas were sent to Metro Manila to augment hospital workforce. Twenty were deployed to the National Center for Mental Health while ten were assigned to the Las Piñas General Hospital, said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Department of Health (DOH) in the region. The volunteer health workers will each receive incentives totaling Php 70,000 from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (Opav).81 99 Healthcare workers will continue to receive the benefits granted under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the “Bayanihan 2” even after the law expires so long as the state 75 Philippine News Agency (2021). Gordon files bill expanding pool of vaccinators. Retrieved February 04, 2021 from https:// www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127947 76 Philippine News Agency (2021). Gordon files bill expanding pool of vaccinators. Retrieved February 04, 2021 from https:// www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127947 77 Kabagani, L. J. (2021). Gov’t to hold ‘time, motion’ simulations on vaccine deployment. Retrieved February 15, 2021 from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129816 78 ECCP (2021). House panel OKs bill allowing LGUs to directly purchase COVID-19 vaccines. Retrieved from https:// www.eccp.com/articles/2364 79 Aguilar, K. (2021). LGUs may have COVID vaccine deals with Moderna, Novavax. Retrieved from https://newsinfo. inquirer.net/1383566/lgus-may-have-covid-vaccine-deals-with-moderna-novavax 80 Saavedra, J. R. (2021, April 7). 66 Visayas medical front-liners to help beat COVID-19 in NCR+. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1136010 81 Philippine Daily Inquirer (2021). More Central Visayas nurses sent to Metro Manila. Retrieved from https://newsinfo. inquirer.net/1420132/more-central-visayas-nurses-sent-to-metro-manila