Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Friday likened the P72.5-billion fund earmarked for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to an unfunded check.
Drilon disclosed his assessment as he reiterated his concerns about the lack of a definite source of funds to immunize around 60 million Filipinos next year.
Under the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021, which Congress ratified last Thursday, only P72.5-billion has been allocated by the government for the purchase of the coronavirus vaccines. Of the amount, only P2.5-billion has “solid funding.”
The remaining P70-billion is in the unprogrammed fund – the funding for which depends on approved loans or once the government exceeds its non-tax revenues targets.
“There is a global race to buy the vaccine,” Drilon said in a statement.
“It is unfortunate that in these uncertain times, the budget is creating additional uncertainty. This makes Filipinos wary about the future,” he stressed.
“It is like we issue a check without adequate funding. Sana po hindi mag-bounce,” he further quipped.
Drilon further pointed out that the Philippines health care system “at this stage is a big question mark to me because of the very fluid plans for the acquisition, funding of the vaccine and the logistical expense that goes with it.
“No definite revenue source is identified…The comfort level is not very high that we can achieve a certain degree of confidence insofar as our public health is concerned,” he further said.
“I guess we just have to look up at the sky and pray,” he said.
Drilon said he is disappointed that the government did not retrieve around P33-billion funds parked and sitting idly in the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC) which could have helped the government vaccinate at least half of the 60 million Filipinos.
Then there is also the P16.4-billion fund for anti-insurgency and P9.5-billion for confidential and intelligence funds which, Drilon said, could have augmented the government’s need for additional funding for COVID-19 vaccines.
“Talking about misplaced priorities. There is no definite revenue source for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccine but there are P16.4 billion for anti-insurgency and P9.5 billion for confidential and intelligence funds,” Drilon lamented.
“There are around 2.7 million Filipino families slipped into poverty due to Covid-19 and, yet, there is no allocation for social amelioration program for next year,” he added.
“We do not have a definite source of funds to support the additional P70-billion for the vaccine but we let over P33 billion funds parked and sitting idly in the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC),” said Drilon.
Drilon further bewailed how the Filipino people are being kept in the dark about the vaccine rollout.
“Where is the vaccine roadmap? Where’s the plan? The lack of a clear roadmap adds to the worries of Filipinos about the future of our country insofar as our ability to fight the pandemic,” he said.