City mayors to meet with vaccine czar

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) National President Mayor Evelio Leonardia called for a special online general assembly of city mayors on January 12, 2021 with the vaccine czar of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, and the Director General of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the availment of COVID-19 vaccines, among other agendas.

A press statement from the Mayor’s Office Sunday said that vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez has confirmed his attendance to the meeting.

Galvez will present the national government’s roadmap to coordinate and assist LGUs in securing the vaccines, the press statement said.

Galvez had earlier met with Leonardia and the LCP Committee on Vaccine Availment last December 29, 2020 to discuss the timeline of vaccine availability based on ongoing negotiations with prospective pharmaceutical companies.

 

“During our talks with Secretary Galvez, he explained what vaccines will be available and the specifications of each type. Since securing vaccines is a top priority concern of all city mayors, we find it necessary that we hold this LCP general assembly for them to get first-hand information and participate in the formation of policies and procedures of the vaccine availment process,” Leonardia said.

 

FDA Director General Rolando Enrique Domingo is also expected to attend the meeting to provide updates on the emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines.

Meanwhile, the LCP Committee on Vaccine Availment led by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas is set to push for the adoption of a resolution requesting for the LCP’s membership in the IATF-EID to ensure proper alignment of national and local vaccination efforts.

The assembly comes after several city mayors had already allocated budgets for vaccines.

Bacolod City has also allocated PHP300-million for his constituents’ vaccine needs. (With reports from PIO)