May pondo! Ping confident DBM can raise funds for buying vaccine

Sen. Panfilo Lacson is confident the government will be enough funds to acquire COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available.

Lacson said Monday there is P2.5 billion under the regular budget and there is P72 billion under the unprogrammed fund.

“I am confident DBM will be able to come up with the P72B if needed, when the time comes we have to purchase the vaccines, then P72B can readily be made available by DBM,” he said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

He recalled that last January, the national debt stood at P7.8 trillion, and now stands at P10.4 trillion, meaning the country borrowed P2.6 trillion this year.

Thus, he said the funds can be sourced from borrowings, adding there are available funds in the National Treasury because of the borrowings.

“It is as good as funded. It was placed under the unprogrammed fund because we are not sure yet if vaccines will be available in 2021 and we’re not sure yet how much will be needed to purchase the vaccines,” he said.

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