Senate earmarks P83B for COVID-19 vaccine purchase, distribution in 2021 budget

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/reuters/06/18/vaccine.jpg"/><figcaption>Small bottles labeled with a &quot;Vaccine COVID-19&quot; sticker and a medical syringe are seen in this illustration taken taken April 10, 2020. <em>Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The Senate on Thursday allocated P83 billion for the purchase, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines next year, much higher than the Department of Budget and Management&#x27;s proposed P2.5 billion fund for immunization against the highly contagious disease.</p><p>The House of Representatives initially increased the amount to P8 billion, while the Senate included as unprogrammed appropriations P54 billion for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines and another P21 billion for its &quot;storage, transportation and distribution.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We are setting aside a huge amount in unprogrammed appropriations for their purchase,&quot; Senate Committee on Finance chair Sonny Angara said in plenary.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/26/20/senate-passes-p45-t-2021-national-budget-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-response">Senate passes P4.5-T 2021 national budget; zeroes in on COVID-19 response</a></li></ul><p>But funds for items labeled as &quot;unprogrammed allocations&quot; may only be released should the government exceed its target revenues for the year, according to the Commission on Audit.</p><p>In September, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the Philippines has already exceeded this year&#x27;s estimated P2.2-trillion tax revenue as early as August.</p><p>&quot;We are above it by 8 percent,&quot; Dominguez told senators during the Department of Finance&#x27;s (DOF) budget hearing in the Senate.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/23/20/ph-exceeds-p22-t-estimated-tax-revenue-this-year-says-finance-chief">PH &#x27;exceeds&#x27; P2.2-T estimated tax revenue this year, says Finance chief</a></li></ul><p>In 2021, the Department of Finance expects to collect P2.71 trillion in taxes as the Philippines continues to ease economic restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/10/20/finance-department-expects-p271t-tax-collection-in-2021-as-economy-reopens-further">Finance department expects P2.71T tax collection in 2021 as economy reopens further</a></li></ul><p>The national government is expected to sign a deal with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca for the purchase of 2 million COVID-19 vaccines, immunication czar Carlito Galvez said.</p><p>AstraZeneca&#x27;s vaccine is seen to be the least expensive among frontrunners as it is priced at 2.5 euros (P143) per dose. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/26/20/philippines-to-sign-deal-to-buy-2-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses-this-week">Philippines to sign deal to buy 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this week</a></li></ul><p>The private sector is also expected to procure up to 3 million vaccine doses from the same pharmaceutical firm, presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/26/20/private-sector-to-procure-up-to-3-million-vaccine-doses-says-presidential-adviser">Private sector to procure up to 3 million vaccine doses, says presidential adviser</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nh7jP3ZN5qA?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The Senate on Thursday allocated P83 billion for the purchase, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines next year, much higher than the Department of Budget and Management's proposed P2.5 billion fund for immunization against the highly contagious disease.<br /> </p>

The Senate on Thursday allocated P83 billion for the purchase, storage, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines next year, much higher than the Department of Budget and Management's proposed P2.5 billion fund for immunization against the highly contagious disease.

Senate earmarks P83B for COVID-19 vaccine purchase, distribution in 2021 budget | ABS-CBN

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Senate earmarks P83B for COVID-19 vaccine purchase, distribution in 2021 budget

Senate earmarks P83B for COVID-19 vaccine purchase, distribution in 2021 budget

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 26, 2020 09:20 PM PHT

Read More:

2021 budget

Senate

COVID-19

global pandemic

COVID-19 vaccine

Sonny Angara

2021 national budget Philippines

2021 spending bill Philippines

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