‘Sana hindi mag-bounce:’ Drilon likens P72.5-B COVID vaccine fund to unfunded check

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon  (Screen grab/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — “It is like we issue a check without adequate funding. Sana po hindi mag-bounce [I hope it won’t bounce].”

This was how Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon described the funding for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines under the 2021 national budget and reiterated concerns about the lack of a “definite source” of funds to inoculate around 60 million Filipinos next year.

In a statement Friday, Drilon likened the P72.5 billion earmarked under the proposed 2021 national budget for COVID-19 vaccines to an “unfunded” check.

He expressed uncertainty on how the government could raise at least P70 billion next year for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine as only P2.5 billion would be guaranteed under the 2021 spending outlay.

Under the bicameral conference committee-approved version of the 2021 budget, which was separately ratified by Congress on Wednesday, P2.5 billion of the allotment for the vaccines are programmed funds lodged with the Department of Health (DOH) while the other P70 billion is under unprogrammed appropriations.

The release of the P70 billion under the unprogrammed fund depends on approved loans or once the government exceeds its non-tax revenues targets, Drilon noted.

“It is unfortunate that in these uncertain times, the budget is creating additional uncertainty. This makes Filipinos wary about the future,” he said.

‘Look up at the sky and pray’

During the Senate session on Wednesday, Drilon said the “comfort level is not very high that we can achieve a certain degree of confidence insofar as our public health is concerned.”

“I guess we just have to look up at the sky and pray,” he said.

“Our health system unfortunately at this stage is a big question mark to me because of the very fluid plans for the acquisition, funding of the vaccine and the logistical expense that goes with it. No definite revenue source is identified,” he added.

‘Misplaced priorities’

Further, Drilon said the 2021 national budget exposes the government’s “misplaced priorities.”

“Talking about misplaced priorities. There is no definite revenue source for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine but there are P16.4 billion for anti-insurgency and P9.5 billion for confidential and intelligence funds,” Drilon lamented.

“There are around 2.7 million Filipino families who slipped into poverty due to COVID-19 and, yet, there is no allocation for social amelioration program for next year,” he added.

He also pointed to the P33 billion he earlier flagged as “parked” funds “sitting idly” in the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC).

If returned to the national treasury, Drilon said the P33 billion will be enough to immunize half of the 60 million Filipinos.

‘Ample funds’

Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, however, earlier expressed optimism that the entire P72.5-billion budget for COVID-19 vaccines would be “fully utilized” in 2021 despite much of it being unprogrammed.

“The probability of it being funded is large. We were assured by the Department of Finance that it will really be funded,” Angara said following the ratification of the 2021 budget in the Senate.

He added that at least P10 billion funds are available for vaccine procurement under the Bayanihan To Recover As One Act, which several lawmakers are pushing to be extended until next year.

The Palace also earlier assured the final P72.5-billion allocation for COVID-19 vaccines under the 2021 budget is enough for the targeted vaccination of 60 million Filipinos.

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