Congress OKs P4.5 trillion budget with P72.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccines

Congress has approved the P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021, which includes P72.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccines.

The vaccine fund comprises P2.5 billion under programmed funds managed by the Department of Health (DOH), with an additional P70 billion as unprogrammed appropriations contingent on revenue availability.

This P72.5 billion allocation for vaccines is separate from the P10 billion provided by the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, bringing the total budget for the immunization program to P82.5 billion in 2021.

The government aims to administer vaccines to the general population by the second quarter of 2021.

The bicameral conference committee agreed to increase the allocation for the health sector by 42% to P287.47 billion, from the P203.1 billion originally proposed by the Budget department under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The 2021 General Appropriations Bill will be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature before Christmas.