ANGELES CITY – The city council here on Tuesday handed Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin the authority to secure a P600-million loan for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.
Sponsored by Councilor Arvin Suller and unanimously approved, PR-947-01-21 authorized Lazatin “to apply and negotiate with any financial institution for the loan of P600 million for the purpose of procuring anti-Covid vaccine and its storage for the inoculation of Angeles City residents free of charge.”
“Lahat po ng tao sa mundo ay nakaabang sa anti-Covid vaccine. Sa Lungsod ng Angeles, katulad ng ibang lugar, madami po ang kumpanyang nagsara at mga kababayan nating nawalan ng trabaho dulot ng pandemya. Dahil dito, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi kayang magpa–vaccine,” said councilor Jesus “Jay” Sangil in supporting the resolution.
“Kaya po gumagawa ng paraan si Mayor Pogi Lazatin, Vice Mayor Vicky Vega at kaming mga miyembro ng sangguniang panlungsod para po mabigyan ng proteksyon ang kalusugan ng bawat Angeleño,” he added.
Earlier, Lazatin chief adviser IC Calaguas assured the public that the city government has the capacity to pay for the multimillion peso loan.
“Huwag pong mag-alala ang mga kababayan natin sa pagbabayad ng P600–million na i-lo-loan natin para sa mga Covid-19 vaccines, dahil ang siyudad po ay mayroong net borrowing capacity na P2.9 billion,” Calaguas said in a radio interview over 92.7 FM.
Calaguas was addressing queries of Angeles residents posted in the City Information Office Facebook page on the capacity of the city government to pay the P600–million loan.
“The net borrowing capacity of Angeles City is P2.9 billion as certified by the Bureau of Local Government Finance. Ang ibig pong sabihin, hindi po kailangang magtaas ang siyudad ng pagsisingil sa mga taxes. Kayang-kaya po nating magbayad base sa estado po ng ating finances,” Calaguas explained.
In fact, Calaguas said, the requirements for the loan are ready to be submitted to the financial institutions Wednesday, Jan. 27.
In a statement over the weekend, Lazatin said the city government is just putting to good use the city’s net borrowing capacity.
Lazatin tapped Calaguas, his long-time most trusted political officer and currently Clark International Airport Corp. vice president for operations, to represent him in initial talks with identified financial institutions and pharma companies to secure the funding for the vaccines against Covid-19. Some 411,634 residents are expected to be inoculated in the city.
“Simpleng simple lang po ang mindset at direction ni Mayor Pogi Lazatin, tiyakin na may perang pambili at may mabibiling vaccine. Kahit ano pang ilatag na plano ng pamahalaang national, handa ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Angeles,” Calaguas said.
Basic services ensured
Although Lazatin is seeking for the said loan, Calaguas assured the public that the basic services of the city government will not suffer.
“Hindi po mag-sa-suffer ang mga basic services natin. Tuloy-tuloy po ang daloy ng serbisyo sa 33 barangays ng siyudad,” she said. “Ayon nga po kay Mayor Pogi, kung mayroon man pong isang tinuro itong pandemya – yun ay yung pahalagahan po natin ang kalusugan natin.”
Survey
Calaguas also revealed that since August 2020, some 20 survey teams have been conducting household surveys to identify the number and age of people per household.
Currently, 25 barangays had been visited by the survey team composed of staff of the Gender and Development Office, Angeles City Tourism Office and Youth and Sports.
The survey, she explained, is in preparation for the vaccine roll out for all residents.
“Matagal ng may preparation ang ating siyudad. Matagal na itong pinaghandaan ni Mayor Pogi Lazatin. In the few days, our survey team will be visiting different subdivisions as well and eight more barangays,” she added.
Vax acceptance
Calaguas also shared that one of the main concerns seen by Lazatin is the acceptability of the Covid-19 vaccines.
This is why the city will strengthen the information dissemination, Calaguas reiterated.
“Importante rin po na may direktiba. Naghihintay lang din po tayo ng guidelines mula sa national government. Kapag po sinabi kasi nila na roll-out, lahat po kailangang magpabakuna susunod po ang ating mayor,” she said.
In a related development, Lazatin has directed city health officer Dr. Verona Gueverra and Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center director Froilan Canlas to draft initial guidelines for the inoculation.
“This interim guidelines will be adjusted based on the national guidelines. And all other concerns will also be considered like age, health issues of the people before vaccination, schedule of vaccine, order of priority since we heard the vaccine will be delivered in tranches, among others,” Calaguas said. With Angeles CIO
