Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday slammed the increasing Covid-19 vaccine wastage rate which has reached 31.3 million doses amounting to more than P15.6 billion as of November.

"The fact remains that the vaccine wastage rate continues to increase. There is a steady trend of waste which means that efforts to curb it have been ineffective so far," Hontiveros said.

"Even if the WHO (World Health Organization) adjusted the threshold, we cannot afford the cost," she added.

She issued the remarks after Senator Pia Cayetano revealed during last week's budget deliberation for the Department of Heath's proposed budget that 12 percent of the 250.38 million doses of various Covid-19 vaccines received by the country have either expired or have been damaged.

"We do not have the luxury of wasting more money that is higher than the P15.6 billion amidst the crisis and demand for funding of equally important government programs," Hontiveros said.

"The DoH knows the drivers of vaccine wastage, and I trust they can increase their efforts to reduce the wastage," she added.

Hontiveros also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his men to look for a way to improve the country's vaccination program.

"More importantly, the President and entire cabinet should step in to ensure an accelerated vaccination program.

"After all, their policies create the public perception that the pandemic is over which causes the public to be more complacent and tend to choose not to be vaccinated and take booster shots," she added.

To recall, the senator previously filed a resolution seeking to investigate reports of unused and expired Covid-19 vaccines amounting to P5 billion to P13 billion.