Quezon City finalizing talks with UK’s AstraZeneca

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Quezon City government is finalizing its talks with British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for the purchase of an initial 750,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

The city council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Joy Belmonte to enter into a tripartite agreement with the national government and AstraZeneca for the advance purchase of the vaccines.

“We are ready to purchase. After implementing our test, isolate, and treat strategy, vaccination is our game plan now. This free vaccination program will definitely complete our efforts against this deadly virus,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte said the city’s plan to procure the vaccine is not in conflict with the Department of Health statement saying only the national government can purchase vaccines.

Through the tripartite agreement setup, Belmonte said the national government will procure in behalf of the local government unit (LGU), which will provide funds for the vaccines.

“The LGU is not authorized to procure, only the national government is allowed because these are the terms of an emergency use agreement,” she said in a separate message to The STAR. “So the pharma allocates what it can to LGUs that signify intent.”

Belmonte said this locally funded allocation will be over and above the vaccines earmarked for the LGU by the national government.

The city earlier said that it has allocated an initial P1 billion in its 2021 budget to purchase  vaccines and supplies needed for the inoculation. Part of this budget will be used for the initial purchase of AstraZeneca’s allocated vaccine for Quezon City.

Manila eyes 3 million vaccine recipients

The city government of Manila plans to inoculate three million people, both residents and non-residents, as soon as the COVID-19 vaccine is made available, Mayor Isko Moreno said yesterday.

He said the city government has funds of up to P250 million to purchase vaccines.

“Our target is to have a P1-billion fund for the purchase of the vaccines. It will be given for free to Manileños and non-Manilans. There will be no categorization as to their economic status. Rich or poor, for as long as they register in our Manila’s website for the free vaccines, they will all be covered,” Moreno said, referring to the webside www.manilacovid19vaccine.com.

In Mandaluyong, Mayor Carmelita Abalos said yesterday they have put up a budget of P200 million for the vaccines.

Abalos has formed a COVID-19 cluster committee that will handle the procurement process to ensure that all residents of the city are vaccinated.

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the city government  has set aside P82.7 million to buy their own vaccines.

He said the budget was approved by the city council last November.

In San Juan, around 5,000 residents have registered to get free COVID-19 vaccines, Mayor Francis Zamora said yesterday.

The city government has earmarked P50 million to buy vaccines. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Emmanuel Tupas