Cebu City ready to buy COVID-19 vaccines pending approval

Cebu City is prepared to purchase COVID-19 vaccines, with Mayor Edgardo Labella confirming the city's readiness to procure them.

The city is awaiting the approval of Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. before proceeding with any purchases.

Cebu City has formed a board to plan the procurement and rollout of its COVID-19 vaccine program.

The board will be in charge of deciding which vaccine manufacturers the city will prefer.

The city government prefers vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna and plans to collaborate closely with the national government on the vaccination program.

Labella explained that LGUs need national government approval for vaccine procurement, requiring a tripartite agreement among the national government, the local government, and the vaccine manufacturer.

This is unlike other local governments in the Visayas, such as Ormoc City and Bacolod City, which have already entered into multilateral agreements with vaccine manufacturers.