‘Funds for COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 budget’

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano gave assurances yesterday that the House of Representatives will allocate funds in the proposed 2021 national budget for the procurement of a vaccine to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We know they are being cautious about the deficit, but funds should already be allocated for the COVID-19 vaccine,” the Taguig-Pateros congressman said, as he told reporters that he considers the P4.3-trillion budget the administration plans to submit to Congress soon as “very conservative.”

“We can label it as COVIDrelated programs so that if the vaccine is not yet available, they can use the money for testing or procurement of medical supplies. They won’t have to go back to Congress for additional appropriation,” Cayetano explained.

“What if there is a vaccine and they won’t supply unless you pay at once? So the funds should already be available in the budget,” the Speaker said, noting that several countries are expecting to develop a vaccine in about a year or so.

Cayetano said the House “wants to enter 2021 fully aware that the country has to meet the challenges of COVID-19 head-on.” Aside from vaccine funds, the House would include the economic stimulus appropriations to help affected sectors recover from the pandemic.

“We’re already talking about what part of the 2021 budget is stimulus as well,” he said.

Such appropriations would be in addition to those that would be contained in the Bayanihan Act 2 or the planned “We Recover as One Law,” he added.