ULAP: Allow LGUs to procure COVID-19 vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) should be allowed to buy COVID-19 vaccines for their constituents, according to the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

ULAP president and Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua said the plan of several LGUs to allot funding for the vaccination program would benefit the national government.

Cua gave assurance that LGUs would prioritize health care workers aside from those in the vulnerable sector.

“Sila ang uunahin namin kaya mababawas din naman doon sa burden ng national government. Wala naman po sigurong problema,” he said.

The mayors of Manila, Pasig and Makati had earlier announced that they have allotted funds to procure COVID-19 vaccines for use of their constituents.

However, the Department of Health (DOH) urged the local chief executives to work with the national government to ensure an effective distribution of the vaccines.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., who is the designated  vaccine czar, will serve as the focal person for the procurement.

While most LGUs have signified their intention to buy their own vaccines, Cua said they are willing to course their applications through the national government, which has the manpower, especially when it comes to logistical requirements.

The League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), for its part, said the national  government should take the lead in administering the vaccines.

“Although we are allowed to purchase under the procurement law and meron naman authority na binigay, dapat po talaga sundin ang national government at DOH,” LPP president and Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco said in an interview over dzBB.

Eastern Samar allots P500 million

As this developed, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said the provincial government plans to allocate P500 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for the free vaccination of 600,000 residents of the province.

Evardone said a task force would be created to determine the brand of vaccine to be purchased and how it would be distributed to the people.

He said he would shoulder the cost of the vaccines if those to be purchased by the provincial government would not be enough.

P30 million for Negros Occidental

In Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson bared a non-disclosure agreement with a pharmaceutical company to purchase P30 million worth of vaccines.

Lacson said the budget would be taken from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

He said medical frontliners, vulnerable senior citizens, indigents, police and the military would be given priority.

Lacson encouraged LGUs in the province to allocate funds to purchase vaccines for their use.

Alfredo Benitez, provincial consultant on economic affairs, who will head the procurement effort, had earlier said  he is negotiating for Negros Occidental to be among the first provinces to get the COVID-19 vaccines this year. – Gilbert Bayoran, Miriam Desacada