BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government appropriated PHP30-million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines. Lacson declined to elaborate as he admitted signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement with a pharmaceutical company for the purchase of the vaccines. He encouraged other local government units, especially cities, to allocate funds for the vaccines.
The governor said that the PHP30-million may not be enough for the entire province, but he expects Negros Occidental to have its share of vaccines purchased by the national government. He said the medical frontliners will be among the vaccine priority groups although inoculation will be on voluntary basis. He also said that the PHP30-million will be taken from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office funds.
As of January 4th, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported 135 active cases in Negros Occidental. Meanwhile, with the lifting of moratorium on the entry of Locally Stranded Individuals in most local government units in the province, he expects an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. He noted that the number of new cases declined in the past two weeks because of the moratorium.
“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 said.
