The honorable Senator Rogelio “Bato” dela Rosa, in a statement given during the new year, dispelled concerns about the propriety, morality, and legality of the admission of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), elements of the armed forces and even some government officials that they had been administered a COVID-19 vaccine, the source of which is suspected to be China but to this date is unclear: “if it’s approved in China and it’s not approved here by our FDA (Food and Drug Administration). So [it’s okay] if it’s already approved in China – China has its own FDA. The approval of the FDA here is more of a formality only.”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the statement. And it seems that in this New Year, the theme of 2021 may just be exactly that – a schizophrenic year of “delusions, hallucinations, hearing voices, incoherent speech, or negative symptoms, such as a flattening of emotions” (as defined by psychiatrists).

Having dealt with the FDA many times in the past years for business, I can safely say I know certain things as fact:

First, that the country’s FDA regulates anything that could possibly be ingested by a human being that is being imported, manufactured, distributed and sold in the Philippine market. That’s why we read of medicines undergoing serious, methodical and even extensive research and testing in the country. That’s why Reno liver spread was pulled out of the market shelves when it was learned that its papers weren’t in order. That’s why cases were filed against a gin manufacturer whose unlicensed product caused some deaths. That’s why some herbal food supplements are ordered labeled as such and with the statement “no approved therapeutic claims”. That’s why stores selling unlicensed make up and beauty products are raided and millions of products confiscated.

So not just eaten, but they could be products you may inhale and smell, or even absorbed through the skin.

Second, yes Bato is right that the Chinese vaccine may be approved by Chinese authorities in China. But they have to be approved by Filipino Authorities in the Philippines. Most if not all countries in the world have one form of FDA or another – the chief regulator of such products in their country. It is because each country has different races with different predominant genetic codes, different diets, and different atmospheres.

If you look at the ingredients of the local version of the popular multivitamin brand Centrum in the drugstores and check out the same brand in S&R, you will find that they have different ingredients. This is because Centrum sold in S&R was imported from the United States of America and was manufactured for their market whose dietary habits are totally different than in the Philippines.

The Philippines’ FDA standards require disinfectant concentrates, wipes and sprays to have an FDA license, Japan’s FDA does not so those are sold and distributed there without any FDA clearance.

So what do these two things point to? Simple: the law by which the FDA exists and operates does not make their act a mere formality, as Honorable Bato wrongly asserts.

In fact, his is just a series of FDA-related wrongs signaling either total ineptitude, total push of an illegal agenda to protect their boss, or both. Senate President Tito Sotto said: “There is no law that says you cannot take any medicine or vaccine that the FDA has not approved.” Right again. But it isn’t the taking of the medicine that is in question here. It’s the importation (smuggling), distribution (even if they indeed were donated or given for free), and administered (having been injected to the military men).

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said: “Huwag niyo naman ipagkait sa ating mga sundalo kung nagkaroon sila ng proteksyon. Tanggapin na lang natin na importante na iyong ating kasundaluhan, mga nagbabantay sa ating seguridad, ay iligtas na sa COVID-19.”

Again, so wrong in so many levels. Nobody’s saying we should discriminate against our men and women in uniform. But as the government, you’re supposed to do it legally. Plus wasn’t it this government itself placed the Military and PNP as fifth in the order of priorities of vaccination recipients:

1. Frontlines Health Workers
2. Indigent Senior Citizens
3. Remaining Senior Citizens
4. Remaining Indigent Population
5. Uniformed Personnel (Military, PNP)
6. Teachers and school workers
7. Government workers
8. Essential workers in agriculture, food, transport, tourism
9. High risk persons like Disabled, prisoners, living in high density area
10. Overseas Filipino Workers
11. Other remaining workforce
12. Students

In all this, the FDA went: Wait… WHUT? (Of course I’m taking some online lingo liberties here, but you get my drift. They were the last to know!)

So, here’s a toast to 2021… our schizotypal year!