Bacolod to buy P300M in vaccines

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Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said the city government has allotted P300 million for the procurement of vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

He announced the development during a press conference held at the Government Center as he signed a confidentiality agreement and a multilateral agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Philippines), which is among the pharmaceutical companies being tapped by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) for vaccine supply.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia signs the agreements with AstraZeneca on the availment of anti-COVID vaccines. | City PIO Photo

The Sangguniang Panlungsod granted Leonardia the authority to sign the contracts during their special session held on Wednesday.

The non-disclosure agreement covers the proposed business arrangements for the availability and distribution of the vaccine while the multilateral agreement is between and among AstraZeneca, the national government through the National Task Force Against COVID-19, the Department of Health, and the City Government of Bacolod.

“We have to get the vaccines as soon as possible, and even if we just start with AstraZeneca, we can now say that the process for getting it is rolling,” he added.

The mayor was authorized by the City Council headed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran to conduct business with the British-Swedish multinational firm after the LCP, which Leonardia heads as national president, met with top officials of AstraZeneca in virtual talks on Tuesday.

In December, Leonardia formed the LCP Committee on Vaccine Availment chaired by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas for the city mayors to strategize efforts to ensure their constituents have early access to quality and affordable vaccines.

He added that the LCP will also hold exploratory talks with as many other pharmaceutical companies regarding the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

The LCP officials and its Committee on Vaccine Availment will also hold a virtual meeting with vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, and officials of the Food and Drug Administration on Jan. 12 to discuss and synchronize the ongoing efforts of the national government with those of the cities for the vaccine procurement.

As of Thursday, Bacolod has 5,620 confirmed Covid-19 cases, of which 5,369 have already recovered. There are still 73 active cases while the death toll is 178. – NLG