The City of Bacolod and the Province of Negros Occidental have deposited a 20 percent advance payment for their respective coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine orders placed with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines Inc.

This was confirmed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson in separate statements to the media.

On Wednesday, Lacson said the provincial government paid an initial amount of more than PHP4 million.

“The same (as Bacolod) we also made our downpayment yesterday (Tuesday) that represents 20 percent. With this, we are just waiting when (the vaccines will arrive). AstraZeneca said that in March, they will inform us of the delivery schedule,” the governor said in a radio interview.

The provincial government has secured 100,000 doses from the British-Swedish firm as announced by Lacson in January.

On Tuesday afternoon, Leonardia said the city government made an initial payment of more than PHP31 million to AstraZeneca for the procurement of 650,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

“The initial payment practically consummates our contract for these critical vaccine supplies. We wanted to close the agreement as early as we could and that is why we made the payment ahead of the Feb. 24 deadline,” the mayor added.

Leonardia said the advance payment would ensure the delivery of the vaccines starting the third quarter of the year.

On Monday, acting City Treasurer Arlene Memoria deposited the amount of some PHP31.219 million to the account of AstraZeneca, which has also acknowledged receipt of the initial payment.

Cities and provinces were able to proceed with the initial payments for Covid-19 vaccine procurement after President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Feb. 18 the Presidential Memorandum 51 granting authority to local governments to make advance payments exceeding the 15 percent limit.

“We are very thankful to President Rodrigo Duterte for the timely issuance of Memorandum Order 51 that will allow cities to make advance payments for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines,” said Leonardia, the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines.

He noted that although Presidential Memorandum 51 will have a direct impact on cities that had earlier signed the multilateral agreement with the Department of Health, National Task Force Against Covid-19, and AstraZeneca, it will, more importantly, benefit all LGUs in a similar situation. (PNA)