BACOLOD CITY, Jan. 14 (PIA) -- Bacolod City has signed a deal with Oxford-British firm for 650,000 AstraZeneca doses of vaccine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Bacolod City mayor Evelio Leonardia revealed this in an official statement released recently.

"This is a giant leap towards realizing our vaccination goals! This means that a very substantial number of our population (Bacolodnons) can be vaccinated as soon as this product hits Philippine shores," he said.

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod, in a resolution, had given Leonardia the authority enter into confidentiality agreements and to transact with COVID-19 vaccine suppliers

Leonardia, being the League of Cities of the Philippines National President, also disclosed that about 61 cities committed a total of P10-billion in budget for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for their respective constituents.

LCP with the mayors held a meeting, January 13, with National Task Force Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez with Food and Drugs Administration Director General Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo so the mayors will be guided on the procurement process and have a clearer roadmap on how the vaccination will be cascaded to the cities.

"The LGUs role is to participate, to assist and to coordinate with the national government since LCP has already the commitment of 61 cities amounting to P10-billion. This is the chance of the LGUs to be contributory to national efforts to vaccinate all people and it is a matter of teamwork between the national government and LGU," Leonardia added. *(LTP/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)