LGUs looking to partner with nat'l gov't to but COVID-19 vaccines -Galvez

Local government units want to partner with the national government to procure vaccines using their own funds, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday.

This developed after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the proposal for LGUs to enter tripartite agreements for the purchase of vaccines for COVID-19.

“Since then, a growing number of LGUs from all parts of the country have reached out to us and manifested the same intention," Galvez said.

"We are therefore pleased that when we submitted our proposal to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to forge tripartite agreements between LGUs, the national government, and vaccine manufacturers, he immediately approved it,” he added.

“Such a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort is the result of our call for a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach against COVID 19,” Galvez said.

Galvez said the initiative was similar to the tripartite agreement signed between national government, private sector and pharmaceutical companies in November 2020 wherein the parties came together to maximize their “manpower, expertise, and resources” to “ensure a coordinated, integrated and holistic COVID 19 immunization program.”

“The scheme is for the national government, LGUs and the drug manufacturers to work together to ensure that the country will have sufficient doses of vaccines,” Galvez said.

“As we negotiate with these vaccine makers and place our orders for the Philippines, the tripartite agreements with the LGUs will urge pharmaceutical companies to expand their allocation for our country," he added.

"By factoring in the orders of local governments in our negotiations with these pharmaceutical companies, securing deals with them would be easier,” Galvez said.

He said the agreements would enable the national government to put necessary resources for other LGUs which did not have sufficient financial resources to purchase vaccines on their own.

He added that the LGUs are all part of the implementation of the Philippine National Vaccine Roadmap.

“In these efforts, the Roadmap ensures that there is a command and control system in the deployment of these vaccines. Hence, we will utilize a hub-and-spoke model for distribution,” Galvez said.

“We are already identifying central hubs in major parts of the country and smaller establishments such as our regional health units, and provincial and municipal hospitals as spokes. Parallel to this, we will also establish a strong governance mechanism from the national level down to the barangays. And all of these need the support and collaboration of the LGUs," he added. -NB, GMA News