More LGUs allot funds for COVID-19 vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — More local government units (LGUs) have allotted funds to buy vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 for their constituents.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government is signing a multilateral agreement with pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the national government today.

Lacson said the deal is for 100,000 doses for 50,000 people.

In Bacolod City, Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced a P300-million allocation during the ceremonial signing of a multilateral agreement, also with AstraZeneca and  the national government, on Thursday.

“It is our policy, our belief and our commitment that when the health and lives of our people are at stake, we will go for broke,” Leonardia said.

He said he asked the city council to give him continuing authorization to enter into contracts with other pharmaceutical companies to provide COVID vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

“We are willing to augment, realign and revert all items in the budget if the need arises. We will be starting with the preparation of P300 million for the vaccines. We will make adjustments if necessary,” Leonardia said.

The city government of Himamaylan in Negros Occidental said it allocated P1 million for the vaccination program.

Executive Secretary Abdulra of Macacua of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said they informed the National Task Force on COVID-19 that the region would allot P500 million  once the government allows the importation of COVID vaccines.

“We have asked the implementer of the government’s anti-COVID-19 policies, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., to help us out,” Macacua said.

Quoting Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, Councilor Lalaine Marcos said the city government would allocate P350 million for 80 percent of its residents.

Marcos said the amount was agreed during a meeting of the city’s COVID vaccine council on Thursday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said LGUs should coordinate with the national government before procuring COVID vaccines to ensure standardized pricing and avoid duplication of efforts.

Malacañang welcomed the move of LGUs to allot funds for the purchase of vaccines, saying it means the national government would borrow less for the vaccination program. – John Unson, Miriam Desacada