Kidapawan City council approves budget to purchase Covid vaccines and ambulance vehicles

NEWS | 2021/01/26 | LKRO

Kidapawan City council approves budget to purchase Covid vaccines and ambulance vehicles

KIDAPAWAN CITY (January 19, 2021) – In a special session held this morning, the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Kidapawan declared a state of calamity in the entire city in response to the increasing number or surge of Covid19 positive cases in the city.

The special session gave way to the urgent passage of three resolutions of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) namely Resolution No.1 -2021, A resolution recommending for the declaration of state of calamity in the City of Kidapawan due to the effect of Covid19 pandemic and authorizing the Honorable City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista to utilize the CY 2021 LDRRMF 30% Quick Response Fund (QRF) for Covid19 response programs, projects and activities amounting to P14,703,000.00; Resolution No. 2-2021, A resolution recommending for the reprogramming of the unexpended balances/appropriations of various programs, projects, and activities funded under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund 70% CY 2020-2021 to disaster risk reduction and management  programs, projects and activities in the total amount of P19,470,000.00; and Resolution No. 3-2021, A resolution recommending the release and use of unexpended appropriations of LDRRMF Special Trust Fund CY 2017 to address the disaster response requirements of the Covid19 emergency in the amount of P1,300,000.00.

Mayor Evangelista himself was the resource person during the SP Kidapawan special session presided by Kidapawan City Councilor Melvin Lamata, Jr. Chair of the Committee on Legal Matters and Good Governance.  “Any second that we delay the purchase of vaccine is endangering the lives of our people. That we cannot afford”, Mayor Evangelista stressed.

City Vice Mayor Jivy Roe Bombeo and City Councilor Ruby Padilla-Sison were not around during the session. Eleven other councilors were present making a quorum at the session.

Mayor Evangelista disclosed that a total of P28M coming from the 30% QRF and reprogramming of unexpended balances will be utilized to purchase vaccines for Covid19, four new ambulances, and cooling storages.

The City Government targets an estimated 45,901 residents to be vaccinated out of the said funds and after consideration of the roll out of vaccines from the national government covering 50-70% of the population in each province, city, or municipality.

Simultaneous to the approval of the three resolutions, the city mayor signed today Executive Order No. 006 series of 2021 containing the local vaccination scheme of the city. The EO 006 states the priority sectors for vaccination – front liners and senior citizens, and extends to teachers, market vendors, tricycle drivers and “habal-habal” drivers and the media. A vaccination team will be created and will undergo training and the system for acquiring the vaccine is also stipulated in the said EO.

Mayor Evangelista assured the constituents the City Government will be mindful in acquiring the vaccine and underscored the importance of its safety and efficacy.  “We will only acquire vaccines which are approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and from those pharmaceuticals that are able to secure the Emergency Use Authority (EUA)”, said the mayor.

Meanwhile, the total number of positive Covid19 cases as of today in Kidapawan City is more than 50 with numerous suspected cases being monitored and rigid contact tracing in effect.

The City Health once more appealed to everyone to continue observing the minimum health protocols and do every possible means to avoid being infected by Covid19 virus as the vaccine for Covid19 is not yet available. (CIO_AJPME/jscj)