Lazatin allots P25-M for COVID-19 vaccines, seeks P50-M assistance from DOH

Posted on January 05, 2021 by Admin

ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. has allotted P25 million for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, prioritizing frontline medical workers and those who belong to marginalized sectors.

In his letter addressed to Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque, Mayor Lazatin has expressed that he wants to extend the provision of COVID-19 vaccines to the entire city population.

However, the city’s Annual Budget 2021 has been limited to only P2 billion due to the economic consequences of the pandemic.

In this regard, Mayor Lazatin has also sought the assistance of the DOH to augment a counterpart of P50 million for the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccines.

If Mayor Lazatin’s request of assistance from the DOH will be approved, the vaccine procurement of Angeles City Government would bring the total budget to P75 million.

“We want to exhaust all the means to ensure that all residents of Angeles City especially those members of vulnerable sector will receive free vaccine against the virus,” Mayor Lazatin said.

“We would also like to request the DOH for assistance in the procurement of vaccines and in its distribution to the community,” Mayor Lazatin wrote in his letter.

According to Mayor Lazatin, this move, as part of the city’s COVID-19 prevention efforts, is a priority to safeguard Angeleños from the virus.

"If the assistance will be approved, it would be instrumental in ensuring that more members in the community will receive protection from COVID-19," he stressed.

He then thanked the DOH, as well as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for always extending a helping hand to assist the city government in its fight against COVID-19.