Senators question unprogrammed funds for COVID-19 vaccines

Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara assured that the P70 billion allocated for COVID-19 vaccines is solid funding, not dependent on tax collections but rather on non-tax collections.

However, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon likened the P72.5 billion earmarked for vaccine purchase to an unfunded check, as only P2.5 billion is funded in the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.

Drilon expressed concern that the remaining P70 billion is in the unprogrammed fund, contingent on approved loans or exceeding non-tax revenue targets.

Despite assurances, Drilon remains wary of the health system due to fluid plans for vaccine acquisition, funding, and logistical expenses.

The Duterte administration's strategy in addressing the pandemic hinges largely on vaccines, yet a vast majority of funds for them in the 2021 budget are relegated to the "unprogrammed" category.

Lawmakers noted that the P19.1-billion anti-insurgency fund of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and nearly P70 billion for questionable local infrastructure projects were retained in the budget bill instead of being realigned for vaccines.

Moments before ratifying the budget bill, senators questioned why funds and plans for vaccinating Filipinos against COVID-19 were left so uncertain.