P4.2-B can be used to buy booster shots from DOH budget - solon

A total of P4.2 billion could be realigned in the Department of Health's 2022 budget for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

This was bared by Cebu Representative Duke Frasco, sponsor of the DOH's P242.22-billion proposed budget, during the resumption of the House plenary deliberations on the proposed P5.024 trillion national budget.

It was Marikina lawmaker Stella Quimbo who asked Frasco about the agency's plan on procuring booster shots amid the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For the calendar year 2022, there is P45 billion unprogrammed funds for booster doses which should cover an estimate of 38 million of our population," Frasco said.

"In addition to the figures I mentioned earlier, there is an allocation of P4.2 billion from programmed funds that will be used for the booster shots," he added.

The Department of Budget and Management earlier said the P45 billion budget allocated for the booster shots is not yet funded under the proposed 2022 budget pending solid findings that it is essential. -- BAP, GMA News