To Our Beloved City of San Fernando:
Regarding the appeal of the Honorable Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto, the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod must tell the people the facts about the Vaccination Program.
In October 2020, the Sangguniang Panlungsod initiated the appropriation of funds for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.
But it was only on February 18 (Friday) that the Office of the City Mayor was able to submit the draft Vaccination Plan. Without this Plan, the City’s COVID-19 vaccine budget cannot be approved.
We agree that the Sanggunian must pass – without unnecessary delay – a resolution on the vaccine budget.
But it must be made clear and emphasized that the ability of the Sanggunian to act fast depends on how fast the needed preparations and actions had been done; and that the Sanggunian acted with prudence when it decided not to hastily “approve” a budget that lacked the usual and necessary information and details. Therefore, the “delay” that is being blamed on the Sanggunian was necessary. If the members of the Sanggunian chose to act blindly, they would not have acted “with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency. We the members of the Sanggunian must faithfully and diligently serve our masters: our constituents who own the P63-million fund for the vaccines.
Tomorrow (February 23), the Sanggunian will hold its regular session. We will consider and discuss the vaccine budget.
God bless the City of San Fernando!