Study on vaccination of minors must be in 2022 budget —Angara

Studies on the inoculation of minors against the coronavirus disease 2019 should be a priority in the 2022 national budget, Senator Sonny Angara said Saturday.

“Kailangan gawing prayoridad sa 2022 budget” (It must be made a priority), he said in a radio interview.

Angara said he hoped the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin looking into the matter now, so it could be deliberated on in the 2022 budget process starting September. 

“[P]ara mapabilis pagaralan na ng FDA ngayon pa lang, ready tayo para mapabilis bagamat wala pang pondo para sa menor de edad pwede natin pagaralan sa pagumpisa sa 2022 budget simula sa September.” 

Other countries such as the United States, Canada, and Singapore have began vaccinating minors aged 12 to 15 years old, according to the senator.

“Ang rason natin dito para maumpisahan ang face-to-face [classes] para makasiguro  ang mga magulang na safe ang kanilang mga anak” (Our reason is to start in-person learning and assure parents of children's safety), he said.

Angara said funds from the Bayanihan 2 that will be unused may be used for this, in the absence of allocation in the 2021 budget.

He pointed out, "Ang P82.5 billion sa Bayanihan 2 ang intensyon ay para sa mga adult population ng ating bansa. Pero kung may maiwan doon, puwedeng umpisahan kung sakali”(There's no allotment in the 2021 budget, and the intension of the Bayanihan 2 funds is for the adult population).

If some funds remain unused, may we can use them to start the studies, he added.

Sputnik V 1st dose

Angara also announced that he has been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Russia-made Sputnik V.

“Dapat kung ano ang available ‘yun ang tanggapin. ‘Yung iba nga sa opisina namin humihingi ng Pfizer sabi ko wala kang kasiguraduhan na makakauha” (We should get whatever is available. Some people in my office asked for Pfizer, but I told them there was no assurance they’ll get), Angara said.

He said he may be getting his second dose in the first or second week of June.

On Saturday, the Philippines reported 1,178,217 confirmed cases, of which 1,103,945 have recovered, and 19,946 have died. Active cases stood at 54,326. —LBG, GMA News