Gov't allocates P82.5B for COVID-19 mass immunization
The
government will spend P82.5 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccines and fund the
rollout of a massive immunization program aimed at stopping the coronavirus’
onslaught, President Rodrigo Roa reported on Wednesday.
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President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a
meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases
(IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the MalacaΓ±ang Golf
(Malago) Clubhouse in MalacaΓ±ang Park, Manila on January 13, 2021. RICHARD
MADELO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
“I’d
like to just --- sabihin ko sa Pilipino kung saan tayo kumukuha ng pera,”
President Duterte said in a weekly address to the nation on the government
response against the virus.
“The
significant updates of procurement and finance: vaccines - ang source,
unprogrammed funds; foreign multilateral and bilateral loans; domestic loans.
Nandiyan ‘yan naka-on deck na ‘yan.”
Breaking
down government expenditure, he said P70 billion will be spent for logistics
and other supplies provided for by the 2021 General Appropriations Act;
Department of Health (DOH), P2.5 billion; and the Bayanihan 2 providing
continuing government appropriation, P10 billion.
“Lahat-lahat
mayroon tayong P82.5 billion para sa COVID. Palagay ko sapat na ‘yan,” he
noted.
The
President also expressed his gratitude to private entities and individuals who
made commitments to help the government in its mass vaccination against the
coronavirus.
Among
those who expressed readiness to assist the government include businessman
Manuel Pangilinan, the Ayalas, Joey Concepcion, Aboitiz Group, Unilab and
others.
Pangilinan
and the Ayalas are providing well-experienced supply chain managers and
consultants to help the government in its mass immunization program.
“Pasalamat
tayo for those persons mentioned and the agencies who are trying to --- who are
there to help us in the --- well, in the vaccination of the population.
Kailangan kasi ‘yan ng organization eh. You have to have a structural thing
there,” he said.
“Well,
we cannot remember everybody mentioned but sabihin ko na lang na magpasalamat
ako sa inyo. It’s a big deal really for --- for you to be conscious also of the
problem and trying to give a helping hand,” he added.
The
government expects to receive its first delivery of COVID-19 vaccine next
month, which will initially be used to inoculate the country’s frontliners
before rolling out its vaccination program to the general population. PND
