Cebu City may no longer buy COVID-19 vaccines
Mayor Edgardo Labella. (CDN FILE PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
CEBU CITY –– Officials of this city may no longer need to purchase COVID-19 vaccines using its funds after the national government assured them of enough supply.
Mayor Edgardo Labella, in an interview, said vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez told him the national government could send COVID-19 vaccines to the city as long as it was capable of storing them.
Labella said the P400 million budget earlier set aside by the city to buy vaccines could be used for other worthy programs and projects.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama said the city council was planning to realign the budget for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.
Instead of using the funds to purchase the vaccines directly from the manufacturers, Rama said they would spend the amount to hire vaccinators and other materials needed for the mass vaccination.
“We were given the assurance from the national government, that is why we’re planning to spend the budget (for other purposes),” he said.
Aside from hiring and training vaccinators, he said the money could be used to fund other pending projects and obligations of the city government, including the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
CCMC is operating partially since the construction of the entire structure is ongoing.
As the vaccination program continues, Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Health Department, announced that the no walk-in-policy would be enforced in vaccination sites.
While the city is happy that many residents are willing to be vaccinated, Ibones said people must go through the process to avoid crowding at the vaccination sites.
He said city residents must register online at pabakunata.com, and wait for a text message confirming their registration, and stating their vaccination schedule.
Those who do not have internet access can register at their barangay halls.
As of May 19, around 110,000 individuals have registered for the city’s vaccination program.
