More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
The Commission on Audit or COA is hitting the DOH's COVID-19 vaccination program. The first hit is for possible data breaches because of "several deficiencies or “security control weaknesses” in the government’s Vaccine Information Management System."
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/01/30/2417873/covid-19-vax-program-exposed-data-possible-breaches-coa |
The online database system maintained by the government for its implementation of the COVID-19 National Vaccination Program (CNVP) had exposed sensitive information of the public to possible breaches, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its latest report.
In its report on the CNVP, uploaded on its website on Dec. 23, the COA said all concerned government agencies and stakeholders must work together in improving cyber security in the country as it noted several deficiencies or “security control weaknesses” in the government’s Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS).
The VIMS was maintained by the government in connection with its implementation of CNVP in 2021 to 2022 pursuant to Republic Act 11525 or the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act. The VIMS was mainly used to measure the daily vaccination accomplishments or the so-called quick counts, and served as a database of inoculated individuals by local government units (LGUs).
“The audit revealed significant weaknesses in the VIMS regarding data input, processing, access controls, logging functionality and adherence to data privacy requirements. These deficiencies resulted in the entry of invalid, inaccurate and duplicate data, increasing the risk of unauthorized access to the sensitive personal information of millions of Filipinos,” the COA report read.
“The lack of NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) further exacerbates this risk, potentially leading to data breaches and non-compliance with the Data Privacy Act (DPA) of 2012,” it added.
The COA said among the information contained in the VIMS which were exposed to possible breaches include personal data coming from the health declaration forms and consent forms filled out by the vaccine beneficiaries such as name, birthday, mobile number, address and medical history.
The second hit is for freezers bought to store vaccines going to waste.
With the Covid-19 pandemic no longer a health issue, what would the government do with the 243 units of ultra-low temperature freezers (ULTFs) which were bought for P152 million to store the vaccines in various cold storage facilities in the country?
In its audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said that each unit of ULTF was procured by the Department of Health (DOH) for P626,000 and was expected to have an estimated useful life of 10 years.
However, the audit team's ocular inspection conducted last July, August, and October 2023 revealed that 26 units have already become defective and only 243 units remain in good condition.
But if left unused, these remaining units might not fare well, the COA said.
"Leaving up to 243 units unutilized or not efficiently used would restrict the attainment of the expected benefits associated with their refocused/repurposed function. Failure to properly repurpose these freezers would also result in failing to maximize the government funds spent and the value of donations on the said equipment," it said.
"Moreover, given that ULTF has an estimated useful life of 10 years, it is important to fully utilize the remaining life to ensure maximum benefit," it added.
As the country moves towards its post-pandemic phase, the COA said it is important for the DOH to develop a comprehensive plan to repurpose the idle ULTFs.
It also said: "This plan should identify potential uses, such as storing other essential biological materials, clinical specimens, or supporting research activities. It should also outline a clear timeline for implementation and a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation."
26 freezers have already become defective showcasing the DOH's lack of care for their things.
The third hit by the COA is over expired COVID-19 jabs.
The number of wasted Covid-19 vaccines under the national government’s vaccination program went beyond the “acceptable” threshold, with a total of 68,681,445 doses in its inventory rendered unusable due to the acceptance of near-expiry vaccines and “operational” mishandling.
These were among the findings of the special audit report conducted by the Commission on Audit (COA) from May 2023 to January 2024 on the national inoculation campaign against Covid-19.
The over 68 million wasted doses, as of Nov. 30 last year, accounted for 27 percent of the about 251.8 million Covid-19 vaccines that were either procured by the national government or local government units or donated by other countries or foreign organizations. Notably, more than half of the wasted vaccines came from donors.
The 27 percent, however, was above the ideal 25 percent “wastage allowance” set by Gavi, one of the organizations making up the COVAX facility that made Covid-19 vaccines available to developing nations under a cost-sharing scheme.
Of the vaccines that would have to be disposed of, some 57.3 million doses, or about 83 percent, had exceeded their shelf life. The rest needed to be discarded due to defects, discoloration/presence of particulate matter, temperature excursion or natural disaster and fire.
The COA noted that the wastage was also due to the fact that the government accepted doses, which were either procured or donated, although these were about to expire.
Worse, some of the procured vaccines that were shipped in November 2021 to the country were “already one to eight days past their labeled expiration date.”
“The high rate of vaccine wastage, particularly for certain brands, is a major concern and underscores the need for improved planning, distribution, and storage strategies,” state auditors said in the special report released in December 2024.By brand, the vaccines from AstraZeneca, Gamaleya, Janssen, and Moderna had the highest wastage of above 25 percent due to various factors, including delayed delivery and vaccination schedules.
The report, however, recognized the challenges that hounded the national vaccination program which led to “suboptimal vaccination coverage and substantial vaccine wastage.”
Among these were “vaccine hesitancy, logistical issues, and poor vaccine management practices,” it said.
None of this is surprising. The only thing new is the COA getting involved.
Enchanted Kingdom has had difficulty making a profit during the pandemic. All of that has changed.
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| https://business.inquirer.net/503987/enchanted-kingdom-expects-over-2-million-visitors-in-2025 |
Enchanted Kingdom, one of the country’s most popular and longest-running theme parks, is projecting a steady uptake of visitors in 2025, with a little over 2 million visitors expected to visit this year.
Cesar Mario Mamon, chief executive officer of Enchanted Kingdom Inc., told the Inquirer on Tuesday that they expect to get a little more than their annual average of 2 million visitors this year.
“So far, the economy is doing well. That is why we expect that the per capita spending will even increase,” Mamon said on the sidelines of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines press conference in Makati.
“We’ve recovered very well from the pandemic. So, we’re looking forward to the coming years. We’re already planning up to 10 years ahead of time,” he added.
According to the company’s record, their entertainment complex in Santa Rosa, Laguna, first reached the 2-million visitor mark in 2012.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Enchanted Kingdom temporarily closed before finally reopening in October of the same year under strict health regulations.
It suspended operations again in January 2022 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, but eventually reopened the next month.
Is it revenge travel that is fueling their profits?
Outgoing United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator to the Philippines Gustavo González has been lauded by the President over his help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/934711/marcos-hails-outgoing-un-rep-gonzalez-over-help-in-covid-19-pandemic-barmm/story/ |
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. extended his gratitude to outgoing United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator to the Philippines Gustavo González over his help during the COVID-19 pandemic and engagements related to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Marcos made the remark in a farewell ceremony in Malacañang on Friday, according to a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office.
"You did so much between the UN and the Philippines," Marcos was quoted as saying.
"I was looking at the time that you were here. There's a very, very large increase in engagements between the United Nations and the Philippines – specifically COVID, the BARMM," the President said, addressing Gonzalez.
In response, Gonzalez told Marcos that apart from vacating his post as resident coordinator for the Philippines, he will also be retiring from his service in the UN.
"Mr. President, thank you so much. I very much appreciate your time but today is also my last day as a UN active officer. So I’m going to retire. No doubt that the Philippines will be in my heart because this is a special moment for me," he said.
Gonzalez served as UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Philippines for nearly five years.
Prior to this, he served as the United Nations Development Programme's Sub-Regional Development Coordinator for the Syria-related crisis, overseeing operations in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey.
Did he help by contact other countries to procure those donated near-expired vaccines the COA has flagged?
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