BACOLOD City – Mayors of various cities across the country are seeking President Rodrigo Duterte’s authority to make advance payments for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.
In Resolution No. 2021-01, the 145-member League of Cities of the Philippines asked the President to issue an executive order to “accelerate the local vaccination program.”
“We need the intervention of the President to pursue our availment of the vaccines,” said Bacolod City’s Mayor Evelio Leonardia, LCP national president.
Pursuant to Presidential Decree 1445, local government units need an express authorization and issuance from President Duterte such as an executive order allowing them to procure vaccines and proceed with the required advance payment market provision in their respective agreements with the pharmaceutical companies.
Copies of the LCP resolution was furnished to the Office of the Executive Secretary, Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Audit, National Task Force on COVID-19, Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Health, and the Department of Interior and Local Government for their information and favorable endorsement to President Duterte.
The LCP during its on Jan. 12 Special General Assembly agreed to partner with the national government in implementing the COVID-19 vaccination program.
The League took initiatives in encouraging cities to procure their vaccines to ensure the target population is vaccinated.
As a result of this initiative and in coordination with the National Task Force on COVID-19, several cities entered into tripartite agreements with AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company under the “A Dose of Hope” program./PN
