ILOILO City – With more than 4,000 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections and over a hundred deaths, this southern city should also be a priority in the distribution of vaccines once these become available, Mayor Jerry Treñas said.
Yesterday, the mayor revealed his intention to write a letter of appeal to the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force and the Department of Health (DOH).
“We need the vaccine also,” Treñas stressed.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the country’s vaccine czar, earlier identified the areas to be prioritized for the vaccine rollout – Metro Manila, Davao City, Bacolod City, and Cebu, all deemed “epicenters” of the viral disease.
In these areas, the poor, those deemed vulnerable, the police, military and other frontline workers will be given priority.
Bacolod is the only local government unit in Western Visayas identified as a priority area. It has recorded 5,307 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic and of these, 267 remain active after posting 4,877 recoveries and 162 deaths.
Earlier this month, Treñas said the city government is allotting P100 million for COVID-19 vaccines.
“Aside from the vaccines provided by the national government, we shall secure a budget to ensure that a huge number of Ilonggo families will be given the vaccine,” said Treñas.
To be prioritized would be city hall workers and barangay officials, who are considered frontline workers.
However, it remains unclear where the funding will come from. The executive branch of the city government has already submitted a proposed P2.7-billion budget for fiscal year 2021 to the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Treñas earlier pointed out that the proposed budget for next year will almost be the same as this year due to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
There could also be a public-private partnership approach to the problem.
An online art gallery run by the mayor’s daughter has been selling art works, in which proceeds are supposed to go to raising funds to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccines against COVID-19 are still being developed by countries like the United States, United Kingdom China, and Russia.
The Philippines, which hopes to get vaccines by around April next year, is still negotiating with vaccine manufacturers, including China’s Sinovac, Russia’s Gamaleya, UK’s AstraZeneca, and American company Johnson & Johnson.
According to Galvez, government hopes to sign a memorandum of understanding with AstraZeneca before the end of the month.
The British company will be reserving 20 million doses for the country.
Galvez said using the geographical approach and then the sectoral approach in the distribution of vaccines aims to contain the spread of the COVID-19 faster.
He said immunizing areas with high numbers of COVID-19 infections will also help the government determine the efficacy of the vaccines./PN
