The local government unit (LGU) of Mandaluyong City on Tuesday announced that it has given a 20 percent down payment to biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca for 150,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.
"Ang kaganapang ito ay patunay na lahat ng nakapag-rehistro sa www.mandaluyong.gov.ph/vaccine ay mabibigyan ng libreng bakuna kapag na-i-deliver na ang mga COVID-19 vaccines ( This proves that all those who have registered at www.mandaluyong.gov.ph/vaccine will receive free COVID-19 vaccines once they are delivered to the city)," the LGU said in its Facebook post.
Mandaluyong, like San Juan, did not reveal the exact amount of the down payment due to a non-disclosure agreement with the national government and AstraZeneca.
"Bukod sa paglalaan ng budget para sa bakuna, puspusan rin ang paghihikayat ni Mayor Menchie Abalos sa mga residente ng Mandaluyong na interesadong magpabakuna na magrehistro na sa www.mandaluyong.gov.ph/vaccine (Aside from allocating fund for the vaccine, Mayor Menchie Abalos has been encouraging residents to register at www.mandaluyong.gov.ph/vaccine and get inoculated)," it added.
Per the city's records as of February 23, there are a total of 34,402 residents who have already pre-registered for the inoculation drive.
During the visit of the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) on February 5, it lauded the Mandaluyong LGU for its vaccination plan and program to entice residents to get inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine.
Under the "Ugnayan sa Barangay” program, Abalos and the city's health experts will visit different barangays to properly explain the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the city’s efforts in stopping the spread of the virus, and to urge its residents to be inoculated by informing them about the benefits of being vaccinated and the safety of the vaccines.
The city government attributes its high number of COVID-19 vaccine registrants to the said program.
Mandaluyong City has allocated P200 million for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, according to Mayor Abalos.