DOH: PH loans to cover budget for regular COVID-19 vaccines in 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Loans made by the Philippine government will also cover the procurement of regular vaccines for next year, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

The DOH disclosed this as one lawmaker questioned why there seem to be no appropriations in the proposed 2022 budget for the procurement of regular COVID-19 vaccines—the first and second shots given to Filipinos to fight the disease.

“For next year po kasi, itong loan natin will cover the first and second doses for certain types of vaccines and a single dose for Johnson and Johnson,” DOH Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said.

Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo pointed out that based on the budget presentation made by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, there seemed to be no funding for the regular COVID-19 vaccines.

Duque said there is a P45 billion budget under the unprogrammed funds, but these are for booster shots which are given to those who have already been inoculated with the regular COVID-19 vaccines.

“We initially proposed about P104 billion but the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) put it under unprogrammed funds, ‘yung P45 billion and I am made to understand this will be for booster doses,” Duque said.

According to Villaverde, the Philippine government has made loans to help in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for this year. This includes P25 billion from the World Bank and P35 billion from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Donations from other countries as well as foreign-assisted projects also aided in the current supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

“For this year, ‘yung ating first dose and second dose ay maco-cover ng ating foreign assisted projects, ng donation, and some bilateral donations from China, Japan and other bilateral agencies,” Villaverde said.

/MUF