Bacolod City has allocated P300 million for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

“It is our policy, our belief, and our commitment that when the health and lives of our people are at stake, we will go for broke,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

The mayor stressed that the city government is committed to providing its citizens with any duly approved vaccine available in the market, that is why city officials are making all necessary efforts to raise the needed budget.

Leonardia made the announcement on Thursday, January 7, during the ceremonial signing of a multilateral agreement with AstraZeneca and national government agencies, and a confidentiality agreement with the said multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company.

The signing came after the Sangguniang Panlungsod authorized Leonardia to contract with AstraZeneca to avail of the company’s vaccine in a special session held January 6.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said the City Health Office and the COVID-19 Vaccination (CoVac) Council have started drafting the list of persons who shall be vaccinated first in Bacolod.

The list will be finalized in accordance with the guidelines set by the Department of Health and the National Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 for identifying the priority sectors in mass vaccination.

“The frontliners will be ‘Tier 1’ – or the first priority – then, the vulnerable sectors, senior citizens, and it goes all the way down to the PNP, the teachers, etc.,” City Administrator Em Ang said./WDJ