IATF simulates Covid-19 vaccines arrival with Bureau of Customs, other agencies

By BOC

PASAY CITY, Feb. 10 — The Bureau of Customs-Port of NAIA participated in a full-scale simulation exercise of cold chain logistics and management of Covid 19 vaccines on February 9, 2021. The activity was spearheaded by the  Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, together with Department of Health (DOH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Interior and Local Government, Food and Drug Administration, Philippine National Police, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), other government agencies and private organizations.

The simulation started from the arrival of goods at the airport with pre-customs clearance in BOC NAIA One-Stop-Shop, transportation of the vaccines, and to unloading, receiving, and inspection of vaccines in the cold chain storage facility at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, MIAA General Manager Eddie V. Monreal, Vaccine Czar and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia, PNP Chief Debold Sinas, AFP Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero, BOC Deputy Commissioner Atty. Edward James Dybuco, BOC NAIA District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan and other government officials graced the event.

The activity aimed to determine the readiness and ensure the effective and efficient flow of the distribution process of the Covid-19 vaccines from the airport to the health facilities.

BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero assures the public that on the part of the Bureau of Customs there will be no delay in the clearance and release of the much-anticipated Covid-19 vaccines and will protect the country against unregistered and illegal goods. (BOC)