BACOLOD CITY - The provincial government of Negros Occidental has allocated P30 million from this year’s budget for the purchase of vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
This was revealed by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson who said that medical frontliners will be given priority in the vaccination.
Lacson said he has already signed a Non-disclosure Agreement with a pharmaceutical company, but he refused to give further details on the transaction.
He said the fund could be sourced from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) budget.
Lacson admitted that the amount may not be enough and may ask for an allocation from the national government.
“I don’t know what the national government will give to the local government units (LGUs) - whether it is "an allocation or a grant,” the governor said.
The provincial allocation is aside from the vaccines to be purchased by the national government which will also give priority to the medical frontliners, vulnerable senior citizens, indigents and other frontliners like the military and the police.
Lacson encouraged the LGUs, especially the cities, to also allocate funds for the purchase of the vaccines.