BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed on Thursday an ordinance appropriating P200-million budget from the city’s current funds for the purchases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
The newly signed Ordinance No. 8659 will allow the city to buy COVID-19 vaccine should it becomes accessible after the city’s treasurer certified that a P200-million fund “is already available and have been set aside” for the remaining months of the year 2020.”
Moreno said this means the local government does not have to wait for the passage of the 2021 budget to procure COVID-19 vaccines.
Initially, Moreno announced that he asked Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and members of the city council to appropriate and set aside P200 million from the 2021 budget.
However, Moreno said “it turns out that the Manila City government already has available funds…for the immediate procurement of COVID-19 vaccines should it become available this year.”
“I want our city to have these COVID-19 vaccines, like how we are able to provide free COVID-19 mass testing – efficient, accessible and free for all,” he added. (Joseph Pedrajas)
