BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Evelio Leonardia has identified the procurement of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines as a top priority in the city government’s economic recovery program.
“When we talk about economic recovery, we should start with government spending,” the mayor said on Monday after he recently convened the City Development Council.
The city government has allotted PHP300 million for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, with an initial supply of 650,000 doses from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines Inc. scheduled for delivery in the third quarter this year.
“The PHP300 million is not for AstraZeneca alone. The 650,000 doses are just our first order. The availability of vaccine agreement will give a sense of assurance, security, and direction to the people of Bacolod. The vaccine is our savior, but hand-in-hand with what is happening, we also have to think of what we shall do after Covid-19,” Leonardia said.
On Sunday, Bacolod has recorded zero new cases and zero new deaths.
The city’s total confirmed cases is now at 5,708, but 5,413 have already recovered, with 113 active cases and 182 deaths.
The mayor added that he remains upbeat that Bacolod will regain its business growth momentum once the pandemic is over.
“Bacolod will be back in business and will continue to be among the most progressive cities in the country because we have the fundamentals already established here,” he said.
Leonardia, the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, said the city government should spend money to create jobs to stir the economy once more, adding that cities such as Bacolod should also strive to catch up with the bigger cities like those in Metro Manila to maximize their economic potentials.
“It’s just a matter of time. We should dream that whatever we see in the bigger cities, we should also have them in Bacolod as well. We should catch up,” he said.
Moreover, Leonardia said that multiple projects are also being proposed towards the economic recovery of Bacolod, including the establishment of the East Terminal in Barangay Mansilingan and the South Terminal along the Circumferential Road that will help decongest traffic in the city’s central area. (PNA)
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