The Bacolod City government will earmark P300 million for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said today, January 7.
He revealed this after he signed the multi-lateral agreement and confidentiality agreement with AstraZeneca on the availment of vaccines against COVID-19, which was witnessed by other city officials at the Government Center this afternoon.
In a press conference, Leonardia said the city is starting to prepare the funding for the vaccines, adding that the local government is “willing to augment, realign, revert any and all items in our budget if the need arises.”
He said that as of now, he could not reveal the exact number of vaccines to be allocated for the city because of the confidentiality agreement with AstraZeneca.
“We don’t know which pharmaceutical company in the country will be given approval by the Food and Drug Administration. We don’t know the final figure of the vaccines (to be procured). We don’t have a clear cut assurance when this is going to happen,” he said.
He added that the city will try to bargain to get a good number of vaccines, “we will do everything so we can get a maximum of what we’re looking for.”
City Administrator Em Ang, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) executive director, said the deal signed by the mayor was for the advance placement of the vaccines.
She explained that most of the vaccines are still being produced, so it is the national government that will negotiate with this pharmaceutical company.
“We have to wait for the national government for the issuance of the emergency use of authorization. In a way, we are privileged we entered in an agreement for the advance procurement because we have an assurance that once the vaccine is shipped to the Philippines, Bacolod will have an allocation,” Ang said.
PRIORITY LIST
On who will avail of the vaccine first, Ang said that the city will follow the priority sector identified by the Department of Health and the National Inter-Agency Task Force.
Those in the priority list will include the frontline health workers and the vulnerable sector such as the senior citizens, police, and teachers, she added.
Dr. Chris Sorongon, EOC deputy for medical, said that the city’s Vaccination Council, comprised of nine committees, is starting to roll out their plans of action as “we are formalizing the vaccination road map.”
Right now, the focus is the information education campaign, especially for those in the grassroots, to educate the residents on the benefits of the vaccines.
“We want to focus on providing them accurate information,” he said.
FREE?
Leonardia, when asked if the vaccines will be given to the Bacolodnons for free, said: “in general, we want to give it to the people for free.”
However, he pointed out that in the national scene and other localities, private employers have negotiated to avail of the vaccines for their employees.
“We’re expecting that they will pay for it for their employees” as part of their social responsibility.
When asked if he wanted to be vaccinated once it is available, the mayor said he will consult first with his doctors, but he stressed he wanted to be vaccinated.
Leonardia is requesting the Sangguniang Panlungsod, headed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, to authorize him on a continuing basis to enter into contracts with any pharmaceutical company legally operating in the Philippines for the availment of COVID-19 vaccines duly approved by the FDA.
VIRUS-FREE
Meanwhile, Leonardia said that 49 of the 61 barangays in the city are COVID-free, or 80 percent, adding that “this is very inspiring.”
However, he stressed to the residents to continue observing the health protocols against COVID-19, despite the reassuring figures.*