The national government will now be borrowing less money from international financial institutions to fund its novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination drive.
This after several local government units (LGU) said they will be conducting their own Covid vaccinations.
“That is why were are glad the LGUs are allocating their own funds to purchase their vaccine,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing on Thursday.
Roque, however, pointed out these LGUs will still have to follow the priorities of the the national government, when it comes to purchasing and administering Covid-19 vaccine.
He said LGUs must prioritize administering the said vaccines in areas with large incidents of Covid-19 such as Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, including CALABARZON (Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon).
They must also prioritize administering the vaccines to certain sectors, which includes medical frontliners, indigent senior citizens, senior citizens, other crucial workers, and uniformed personnel.
The LGUs are mandated to enter into a tripartite agreement, which will involve not only the vaccine manufacturer, but also the national government.
Currently, the government is now eyeing to loan US$300 million for the World Bank so it could buy Covid-19 vaccines.
For this year, Chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 and vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez said they planning to purchase 148 million doses of vaccines, which are expected to benefit 50 to 70 million people.