Mandaue realigns supplemental budget for Covid-19

THE Mandaue City Government has earmarked around P100 million of its P150 million supplemental budget intended for its vaccination program and other expenses related to its Covid-19 pandemic response for purposes other than the procurement of vaccines.

The amount will be used in paying the vaccination site personnel, and purchase of meals and supplies.

In January this year, the City Council passed the P150 million supplemental budget for the vaccination program, especially for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

Six months later, the City decides that there is no need to procure its own vaccines because the National Government has promised to procure vaccines and other countries have donated vaccines to the Philippines as well.

City Budget Officer Giovanni Tianero said they will use the supplemental budget for other expenses in the City’s vaccination program.

Tianero said a large chunk of the budget will go to the compensation of the vaccination site personnel for the whole year, which is approximately P30 million.

He said around P50 million will be used for the procurement of vaccination supplies and meals for the vaccination site personnel, while P20 million will go to other expenses.

Tianero said there are 18 doctors, 45 nurses and 70 contractual personnel hired by the City for its four vaccination sites.

The vaccination sites in Mandaue City are the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex, University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Mandaue Campus, JCentre Mall and Pacific Mall.

If the City decides to open more vaccination sites, Tianero said it is expected that it would hire more personnel, which entails additional expenses.

Tianero said a portion of the P150 million supplemental budget was spent for the maintenance of isolation facilities, including the meals of the patients under quarantine and kits for persons under home isolation. (KFD)