The Quezon City council has given Mayor Joy Belmonte the green light to purchase vaccines to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
She expressed her gratitude to the city councilors for the swift approval of the resolution authorizing her to enter into a tripartite agreement with the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines for the advance purchase of a vaccine against the coronavirus.
The resolution was introduced by Majority Floor Leader Councilor Franz Pumaren and passed Tuesday by the city council presided over by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.
The city council cited provisions of the Local Government Code, which grants the city the power to promote the health and safety of QCitizens and protect them from the harmful effects of COVID-19.
“With the council resolution, we will soon finalize the tripartite partnership and begin the process of prioritizing our most vulnerable citizens,” Belmonte said.
The city government shall prioritize its 10,000 health workers, 300,000 senior citizens, 20,000 adult persons with disabilities, and other priority sectors as recommended by the World Health Organization.
As announced last December, the city has allocated an initial P1 billion in its 2021 budget to purchase vaccines and supplies needed for the inoculation.
A portion of the amount would be used for the initial purchase of AstraZeneca’s allocated vaccine for Quezon City.
QC Task Force on COVID-19 head Joseph Juico said the city is now finalizing its vaccination program guidelines and requirements, such as vaccination centers, storage, transport and mobilization.
“The Task Force Vax to Normal is almost finished with all the needed systems for this vaccination program. All we need is the vaccine,” he said.
