DOH: P2.5 B budget for COVID-19 vaccine not enough for 20 million Filipinos

The P2.5 billion allocation for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine under the proposed national budget is not enough, a Department of Health official (DOH) said.

Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde made the admission during the hearing on the proposed P127 billion budget for the DOH before the House appropriations panel Friday.

“Alam po natin na may pagkukulang ito kung pagbabasehan iyong sinabi ng Presidente na 20 million agad ang tinatarget [na mabakunahan] so nag-propose kami na sana madagdagan ito ng P10.4 billion para po ang vaccine budget natin at maging in total of P12.9 billion,” Villaverde said.

House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Zarate sought an explanation on the missing list of specific budget items for COVID-19 response in the proposal.

Zarate also pointed out that the DOH has requested for P10 billion budget for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), but was only granted P2.7 billion.

“How is that for a priority?” the partylist lawmaker said.

Villaverde said that P5.2 billion of the P6.9 billion Foreign Assisted Projects under the unprogrammed fund of the proposed 2021 budget will be dedicated to COVID-19 response and will have a guaranteed funding through loans from World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

“This is for investing in our laboratories, expanded testing capacity and increasing quarantine facilities, procurement of PPE and testing kits,” he said.

Zarate retorted, saying, “Even counting those, it will still not be enough. Hindi pa matatapos by next year itong COVID-19. Even the WHO is saying that vaccine could be available in the middle next year, at hindi naman lahat ay mabibigyan lahat."

DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje during the same hearing said that the government needs P12.9 billion to buy COVID-19  vaccines.

“P2.5 billion po muna ang inallocate namin kasi po ang scheme, pwedeng loan sa Landbank para macover ‘yung remaining budget requirement,” Cabotaje said.—LDF, GMA News