By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson promised to help local government units who cannot afford to buy COVID-19 vaccines.
Lacson made the assurance after almost all cities in the province expressed their intention to purchase vaccines.
Earlier, Valladolid Mayor Enrique Miravalles, President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental, said that they can afford to spend as much as PHP5-million for the vaccines.
“If they can afford only as such, then we can find ways,” Lacson said.
The governor recommended to LMP-Negros Occidental that they should strongly suggest to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez that the national government take care of the towns.
He said they should ask Galvez not only to subsidize them, but provide a big percentage for free vaccines, especially for the fourth and fifth class municipalities.
The national government has set aside at least PHP75-billion for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, Lacson said.
Lacson said that during a virtual meeting between the League of Cities of the Philippines and Galvez on January 12, it appeared that a lot of questions were raised by the city mayors who were thinking that the national government will provide the vaccines.
“The impression they got was the national government is encouraging local government units to take care of themselves,” the governor said.
Lacson also said that he will ask Galvez during the meeting with the League of Provinces of the Philippines what exactly is the role of the national government.
“If they will supply us with free vaccines, how many percent of the population will be covered?” the governor said.
Meanwhile the provincial government has already signed a contract with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines Inc. for the purchase of 100,000 doses of vaccine for 50,000 medical frontliners.
“After the initial contract with AstraZeneca, we will ask if we can have another contract, this time for the requirements of LGUs, especially the cities,” he added.
Lacson said that Negros Occidental mayors agreed that the negotiation for the purchase of the LGUs will be coursed through the provincial government.
