Vaccines, social amelioration program prioritized in 2021 budget

Romualdez also promised that the chamber under the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has been working hard to pass vital legislations to help the country recover from the blows of the Covid-19. (File Photo: Martin Romualdez/Facebook)

MANILA – The leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday assured that necessary adjustments and sacrifices were made in the proposed 2021 national budget to ensure sufficient funding for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination and social amelioration programs.

“We have made all the requisite adjustments, congressmen have made all the sacrifices to prioritize the vital needs of the nation, in terms of medical concerns like vaccines and social amelioration program. We are one with the President (Rodrigo Duterte) and one with you and the nation to defeat this Covid pandemic and help us recover economically,” Majority Leader Martin Romualdez told reporters in a news forum.

Romualdez also promised that the chamber under the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has been working hard to pass vital legislations to help the country recover from the blows of the Covid-19.

“The Speaker is very focused on this and he is providing the efficiencies and better performance of this Congress,” Romualdez said. “We are very confident that with the able and steady hands of the Speaker and the unified leadership, we shall achieve these goals and reach our destination to full recovery and back to prosperity in 2021.”

On Monday, the House approved on third and final reading a measure extending the availability of funds under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 until June 30, 2021.

Velasco said the House will set aside PHP50 million of its internal funds for the Covid-19 vaccination of its employees and members of the House media, including up to five immediate family members.