The provincial government of Negros Occidental has allocated P30 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
While refusing to elaborate, Lacson admitted signing a non-disclosure agreement with a pharmaceutical company for the purchase of the vaccines.
The governor encouraged other local government units, especially the cities, to allocate funds for the vaccines.
He said the P30 million may not be enough for the entire province but he expects that Negros Occidental will also have its share on vaccines that will be purchased by the national government.
Lacson announced that the medical frontliners will be among the vaccine priority groups, although it is up to them to have it or not.
The P30 million will be taken from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office funds, Lacson said.
As of Jan. 3, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported 152 active cases in Negros Occidental.
With the lifting of moratorium on entry of Locally Stranded Individuals to majority of local government units in the province, Lacson expects an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
The number of cases declined in the past two weeks because of the moratorium, he said.
“We will continue our health protocols, as far as swabbing is concerned. That’s the only way to keep track, or monitor the contagion,” he added.
Lacson said the province will not lower its vigilance with the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant.
A total of 102 LSIs from Batangas and Manila arrived on Jan. 3 in Negros Occidental, with 205 more being expected to arrive Monday night, PIMT provincial chief Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian said. — GB
