House allots P50-M for Covid-19 vaccines of employees

“Five of their immediate family members will be included mainly because we just want the legislative mill to be grinding,” Velasco said. (File photo: House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco/Facebook)

MANILA – Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Wednesday said the House of Representatives will set aside PHP50 million from its internal funds to vaccinate its employees and their immediate family members against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) once a vaccine becomes available next year.

In a media forum, Velasco said keeping the House employees safe and free from the virus would be necessary to help keep the legislative mill running.

“Five of their immediate family members will be included mainly because we just want the legislative mill to be grinding,” Velasco said.

Velasco said members of the media covering the House will also get vaccines.

“Naisip ko rin po na ang ating (I also include our) media friends, we consider you as our family, we will include our media friends to be part of the vaccines,” Velasco said. “Kapag may natira (if there are more vaccines), that’s the time we will use them for the House members and their families.

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Next year, Velasco said the House will focus on giving solutions to bring back normality in the lives of the people.

“We are talking about ending the pandemic, and definitely we see the distribution of vaccines already in different countries.

I believe that the IATF has already ordered roughly around 20 to 30 million vaccines for the country,” Velasco said.