Metro LGUs ink deals with AstraZeneca

MANILA, Philippines — Several cities in Metro Manila have signed tripartite agreements with AstraZeneca and the national government to procure COVID-19 vaccines.

The Makati government has purchased one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Mayor Abby Binay announced yesterday.

Binay said Makati signed a tripartite deal with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for the vaccine procurement.

“We intend to vaccinate all Makatizens, including real property owners, business owners and non-registered voters who reside in the city. We want them to be safe from the virus. We are aiming for 100-percent vaccination,” she said.

Binay said city hall would launch an information campaign along with medical experts to answer the residents’ doubts about the vaccine.

She urged Makatizens to take advantage of the city’s free vaccination.

Makati will launch an online registration portal in the coming days.

The city government has allocated P1 billion to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

1.1 million doses for Quezon City

AstraZeneca has increased Quezon City’s vaccine allocation to 1.1 million doses, Mayor Joy Belmonte said yesterday.

Belmonte said the additional vaccines, expected to be delivered by the third quarter of the year, would benefit those on the priority list, including medical workers and the elderly.

From the first order of 750,000 doses for 375,000 residents, Belmonte said the additional doses would increase the number of beneficiaries to around 550,000 people.

The Quezon City government will hire more health care workers to help in administering the vaccines. It is also finalizing its vaccination stations, which will be scattered in nine areas across the city.

The local government said it was in talks with a private company to handle and store COVID-19 vaccines for the city.

In Manila, the city government has signed a tripartite agreement with AstraZeneca, National Task Force Against COVID-19 and Department of Health for the acquisition of 800,000 doses of vaccines, Mayor Isko Moreno said.

Moreno said they also acquired 12 refrigerators to store the vaccines.

He said medical frontliners, essential workers and senior citizens would be the first recipients of the free vaccines.

The city government also signed a deal to buy 50 transport cooler units for the vaccines. It will build its own storage facility for COVID-19 vaccines at the Sta. Ana Hospital.

In San Juan, Mayor Francis Zamora did not disclose how many doses of AstraZeneca vaccine the city would be procuring.

The local government has earmarked P50 million to buy vaccines.

Zamora said they are ready to increase the funding to vaccinate more than 100,000 residents.

As of yesterday, more than 8,000 residents have signed up for the free vaccination program.

Mandaluyong City has also signed an agreement with the national government and AstraZeneca.

Mayor Menchie Abalos said the local government has allotted P200 million for the vaccines.

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto said the local government has ordered 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines worth P100 million from AstraZeneca.

The city government has allotted P300 million for vaccine procurement.

The national government has assigned 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar said.

She said the first to get the jabs are medical workers, police officers, senior citizens and other vulnerable sectors. The local government has allocated P200 million for the vaccine procurement.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco said city hall signed a deal with AstraZeneca for the advance purchase of 100,000 vaccine doses to inoculate 50,000 residents with two jabs each.

Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano said they expect to start mass vaccination between March and April.

Cayetano said the city allotted P1 billion for the purchase of vaccines from AstraZeneca.

Muntinlupa has been assured by the national government of 100,000 doses, according to Mayor Jaime Fresnedi. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Ghio Ong, Marc Jayson Cayabyab