The League of Cities of the Philippines, headed by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia as national president, has created a Committee on Vaccine Availment, chaired by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, to ensure that cities get early access to quality and affordable COVID-19 vaccines.
Given the urgent need of the cities for early access of COVID-19 vaccine, Leonardia said a committee is created to be headed by the LCP former president and Treñas.
The said committee is expected to coordinate and consult with the national Inter-Agency Task Force, Department of Health and Food and Drugs Administration for the vaccine.
The team is also tasked to carry out a collective and advantageous vaccine availment of the cities.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Vaccine Availment is request to meet as soon as possible to discuss ways to facilitate vaccine availment of cities. It is also likewise task to hold exploratory talks With Pfizer, AstraZeneca and other qualified manufacturers.
Leonardia said it is important for the cities to strategize their effort to ensure that all constitutents will have access to quality and affordavle vaccine.
The newly formed committee is expected to have a dialogue with COVID-19 vaccine czar Secretary Charlie Galvez on January 12, 2021.
Treñas, on his part said: “It is now high time to discuss the availment since many of the first world countries have started purchasing these limited vaccines. We will try to ask the National Government to permit the LGUs to purchase our own vaccines in addition to what they will be providing so we can cater more residents.”
