Senate boosts COVID-19 vaccine budget to P83B in 2021

The Senate version of the general appropriations bill earmarked a total of P83 billion for the purchase, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021.

Based on the data provided by the office of Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sonny Angara, P8 billion of which would be under the Department of Health's regular budget.

Another P54 billion for the procurement of vaccines will be under the unprogrammed appropriations.

For its storage, transportation and distribution costs, a total of P21 billion was appropriated. These, however, would be under unprogrammed funds.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has previously said funds for COVID-19 vaccines under unprogrammed appropriations can be considered "an illusion" since these can only be tapped if the total government revenues exceed the targets.

"No economist will stake his or her reputation by asserting that we expect to exceed our revenue targets," Drilon has said, pointing out the economic quagmire brought about by the pandemic.

The executive branch previously earmarked only P2.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccines under the National Expenditure Program. This was further increased by the House of Representatives to P8 billion.

After it was revealed during the budget deliberations that there was no fund for contact tracing efforts of the national government for 2021, the Senate allocated P1 billion for the item under the Department of the Interior and Local Government's budget.

"Ang pambansang badyet ay badyet ng pag-bangon, ang pinaka-stratehiya natin para umahon mula sa bigat at hirap ng nakaraang taon," Angara said.

"Considering that we’re still in the middle of a global pandemic, much of the increases the committee has made is in the health sector and with regards to our COVID-19 response," he added.

The bicam for the proposed national budget is expected to start on Saturday and a bicam report is projected to be released on December 9. The enrolled budget bill may then be submitted to Malacañang on December 16 for the President's signature. — RSJ, GMA News