The national government recognizes the crucial role that local government units (LGUs) have played in our nation’s battle against COVID 19, and soon, in the implementation of the national immunization program. We therefore commend LGUs, under the leadership of their respective chief executives, for taking the bold initiative and being proactive in securing vaccines for their constituents as we gear up for the rollout of the vaccination program.
In fact, a number of LGUs had already expressed their intention to partner with the national government to procure vaccines using their own funds even during the early stages of our negotiations with pharmaceutical companies. Since then, a growing number of LGUs from all parts of the country have reached out to us and manifested the same intention. We are therefore pleased that when we submitted our proposal to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to forge tripartite agreements between LGUs, the national government, and vaccine manufacturers, he immediately approved it.
Such a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort is the result of our call for a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach against COVID 19. This initiative is similar to the tripartite agreement signed between national government, private sector and pharmaceutical companies in November last year wherein the parties came together to maximize their manpower, expertise, and resources to ensure a coordinated, integrated and holistic COVID 19 immunization program.
The scheme is for the National Government, LGUs and the drug manufacturers to work together to ensure that the country will have sufficient doses of vaccines.
As we negotiate with these vaccine makers and place our orders for the Philippines, the tripartite agreements with the LGUs will urge pharmaceutical companies to expand their allocation for our country. By factoring in the orders of local governments in our negotiations with these pharmaceutical companies, securing deals with them would be easier.
With the vaccines’ limited supply and very high demand from nations across the globe, our country needs to come up with a united strategy to obtain a bigger share of the vaccines. This is what the tripartite agreements aim to achieve.
This development will enable the National Government to put necessary resources for the other LGUs in the country which do not have sufficient financial resources to purchase vaccines on their own.
The LGUs are part of the implementation of the Philippine National Vaccine Roadmap.
In these efforts, the Roadmap ensures that there is a command and control system in the deployment of these vaccines. Hence, we will utilize a hub-and-spoke model for distribution. We are already identifying central hubs in major parts of the country and smaller establishments such as our regional health units, and provincial and municipal hospitals as spokes. Parallel to this, we will also establish a strong governance mechanism from the national level down to the barangays. And all of these need the support and collaboration of the LGUs.
All of us must keep in mind that we all share a common goal, and that is, Saving Lives, Reviving Hope, Shaping our Future.
Nais po namin idiin na nagkakaisa ang pamahalaang nasyonal at lokal sa adhikaing lahat ng mamamayan ay mabakunahan. Sama sama po ang ang lahat, ang publiko at pribadong sektor sa paghahanda at pagpapatupad ng ating libreng vaccination program.
