Tabanda proposes P50M for vaccine purchase

August 15, 2020 Metro BLISTT

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda has filed an ordinance seeking to earmark P50 million for the purchase of anti-COVID vaccines for the people of Baguio once it becomes available. The ordinance states the 50 million shall be sourced out from any available funds or may come from items which may be realigned to meet the fund requirement for the purpose.
The purchase shall be done in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Health-CAR, according to the ordinance. Previously, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III announced the national government can allocate roughly P20 billion for the procurement of 40 million doses of vaccines with around 20 million Filipinos to be vaccinated for free.
President Rodrigo Duterte said low-income families who receive subsidies from the government will be prioritized once the vaccine becomes available.
Tabanda, however, reasoned the city cannot solely depend on the national government to supply its vaccine needs. “There is an urgent need to appropriate a certain amount which we can readily access to purchase our own vaccine on top of what the national government will give us since there are no funds readily accessible in our 2020 budget for this purpose,” Tabanda stated.
The proposed ordinance was referred to the Sanggunian’s Committee on Appropriation and Finance for review following its approval on first reading. In a worldwide race to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, more than 170 vaccine candidates are being tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Of the number, 139 are under Pre-clinical Stage, 25 are under the first phase, 17 are under the second phase, and seven are under the third phase. To date, no vaccine has hurdled the third phase yet as per WHO tracker.
Jordan G. Habbiling