Albay allots P500 M in fight vs Covid-19

LEGAZPI CITY --- Albay would be spending close to P500 million to finance the prevention and control of the spread of the Corona Virus disease (Covid-19) following the official declaration on Tuesday, Mar. 17 placing the province under the state of calamity.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara on Wednesday, Mar. 18 signed an ordinance passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) placing the entire province under a state of calamity in compliance with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the country.

Bichara after signing the state of calamity declaration has directed the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Crisis Committee, to set up a finance mechanism to operationalize effectively the delivery of services to prevent and control the spread of the disease, and provide needed assistance to caution the health and economic impact of the disease.

Cedric Daep, Albay Public Safety Emergency and Management Office (APSEMO) chief in an interview said some P488 million funds would be needed to operationalize and sustain the campaign versus Covid-19.

Daep has expressed concern that so far the province was only able to raise P26.3 million arising from the 30 percent Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the 1st Quarter of the year. However, he said that the funds have already been depleted for initial expenditures .

He said the remaining P464 million would be sourced out from the national government and other generous donors to augment, finance and implement the month long declared enhance quarantine program.

The financial plan would be spent to support the operation and response measure to include among others: health and social mobilization activities; education and awareness; community mobilization; medical sanitation supplies and equipment for Personal Protective Equipment