House Committee on Ways and Means chairman and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Thursday slammed what he described as the “grossly unequal” allocation and distribution of anti-Covid-19 vaccines among different regions of the country.
The lawmaker lamented that regions like Bicol and the Bangsamoro are being left behind in vaccine distribution, as Metro Manila remains a top priority in the vaccination program.
“I understand that we are giving large doses of vaccines to centers of economic activity, such as NCR (National Capital Region). But the disparities are just too large,” Salceda said.
As of July 4, NCR has among the highest share of vaccinated residents at around 26.5 percent. At the bottom of the list, Region 5 has vaccinated only 2.73 percent of its population. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao at 1.52 percent of the first Covid-19 dose.
Salceda said that some 33 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines of various brands are expected to arrive this month. “Still, if most of those doses are concentrated in few areas, you will still have a nationwide Covid-19 issue. So, I hope we can spread out the vaccine supply, so that we can at least vaccinate our seniors and those with serious comorbidities,” Salceda said.
“I hope the National Task Force can allocate more vaccines to the regions. It’s a matter of survival for those from areas with under-equipped healthcare facilities,” he said.