‘Tao muna bago kalsada:’ Manila to use roadworks funds for COVID vaccine

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Wednesday revealed that the city government is eyeing to use the city’s roadworks budget for the purchase of vaccines against COVID-19.

“Mayroon pa kaming sorpresa, kung talagang itong bakuna na ito ay ligtas na at pangangalagaan ang kalusugan ng tao, aasa sa amin, uunahin ko ang tao bago ang kalsada,”  Moreno told reporters at the Philippine-Thailand Friendship Circle on Tuesday night.

(We have another surprise, if this vaccine is safe and would ensure health for our people, you will guarantee that we will prioritize our people before our roads.)

“Kaya ko dinelay ang budget kasi may pinasok na probisyon na kung saan, kakanselin namin ang pagawaing kalye kahit magkanda-lubak-lubak ang Maynila, I don’t care. What matters is we have vaccine for every people. I think with 250 million, it may not suffice to particular company’s price but ot another company it may,” he further said.

(The budget for next year was delayed because I placed a provision there that we will cancel all the roadworks even if Manila’s roads have issues, I don’t care.)

“So worse-case scenrio, mayroon pa akong fall back for the people of Manila. Mayroon pa akong mapagkuhanan (I have more sources to fund for the vaccine.),” he went on.

Previously, the city government said they will allow P200 million under the 2021 budget for the purchase of their vaccine.

The Philippines recently signed a supply agreement to buy at least two million shots of vaccine with British drugmaker AstraZeneca.

The government is also eyeing to buy vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech, Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute, and Pfizer of the United States.

JPV