CEBU, Philippines — At least two local government units in Cebu have allocated funds for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.
Top officials of the Cebu City government have announced that there is already a budget set aside for vaccines.
Mayor Edgardo Labella in his Facebook post said the city government has allocated under its 2021 annual budget the amount of P400 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.This budget has already been approved and passed by the city council last December 23, 2020.
Labella assured his fellow Cebuanos that the city government will be working closely with the national government on the vaccination program.
“Once the city government enters into a tripartite agreement with the national government and the vaccine supplier, the budget we have allocated will be at our disposal,” said Labella.
Vice Mayor Rama, the city council’s presiding officer, said they will add up P100 million for the vaccine allocation through a supplemental budget next month making it a total of P500 million.
“In the Annual Investment Plan, kuwang ang gibutang, P400 million. Pun-an P100 million sure nana P500 million,” assured Rama.
Also, the Municipality of Consolacion is now ready to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
Mayor Joannes Alegado said the municipal government has allocated an initial amount of P20 million for the purchase of these vaccines.
“Yes naggahin na kita og initial nga P20 million for the estimated 10,000 beneficiaries. Atong gi-budget nga at P2,000 per vaccine, mao ni ang 10,000 kabuok ang mabakunahan. Pero og mas barato pa sa P2,000 ang vaccine nga atong ma-purchased, then the better kay mas daghan ang mabakunahan,” the mayor told The Freeman.
The mayor however said that the municipality will gradually purchase the vaccines which will be vaccinated first to their 7,000 frontliners and 3,000 senior citizens.
“Sila lang sad gyud ang atong unahon kana og tugtan na ta sa national government ug sa Department of Health sa pag-purchase og FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines,” the mayor said.
Although ideally, the mayor said that based on the WHO pronouncement that 70 percent to 80 percent of the population should be vaccinated. Consolacion has an approximate 150,000 population.
Alegado said that his town is supportive of the call of the World Health Organization in vaccinating the world against COVID-19.
“Nakigduyog kita sa WHO on its campaign on vaccination,” said the mayor who is a medical doctor by profession.
As more local government units allot funds for the Covid-19 vaccine, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded that the procurement and roll-out of it must be coordinated with the national government through the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) and the Department of Health (DOH) in a tripartite agreement involving the pharmaceutical companies.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, in a statement, commends the LGUs’ bold effort to earmark funds from their local budget for COVID-19 vaccines but said that proper procedure must be followed to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure standardized pricing.
DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya also urged LGUs to prepare in order to ensure that vaccination down to their barangay level will be efficient.
The government intends to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, GMR (FREEMAN)