KALIBO, Aklan – The local government here plans to allot P50 million for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.
The capital town of Kalibo is considered the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Aklan with 252 confirmed cases or 54 percent of the total provincial cases as of Jan. 7.
The Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) designated Kalibo municipal treasurer Rey Villaruel to spearhead the vaccine acquisition with government-approved pharmaceutical firms.
Villaruel said they will deal with vaccine manufacturers and the National Inter-Agency Task Force.
The local government will also set up a vaccine cold storage facility at the Kalibo evacuation center compound in Barangay Tigayon.
“May P10 million allocation na. Kailangan natin to cover the whole Kalibo residents is P215 million. The MIATF initially recommended P50 million for the first wave of free vaccination,” said Villaruel.
Kalibo’s vaccination program targets an initial 10 percent of the population, healthcare workers, frontliners, senior citizens and residents in susceptible areas.
Kalibo has a population of 80,605 spread in 16 barangays as of 2015 Census.
As of Jan. 10, the province of Aklan posted (since March 2020) 479 COVID-19 cases, with 379 having recovered and 16 who died, leaving it with 84 active cases.
The Philippine government is now in advanced stages of negotiations with six COVID-19 vaccine developers as it eyes to close deals for 148 million doses, National Policy Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said.
The government has been negotiating with various pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, Novavax, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac, and Gamaleya Institute.
Galvez said the government expects to secure some 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Aside from government efforts on the bilateral negotiations, Galvez said the country “stands to receive fully-subsidized doses” for the 20 percent of the country’s population which corresponds to 22 million Filipinos, through the Covax facility.
“This is a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine manufacturers to provide countries worldwide with equitable access to safe and effective vaccines,” he said./PN
