Yup, netizens have spoken, and they clearly noticed that many LGUs are working hard to get ‘safer’ and ‘cheaper’ vaccines than the national government.

Just last week, a list of LGUs announced that they have already allotted a budget for the procurement of vaccines for the inoculation for their residents.

It’s indeed a milestone for many Filipinos out there who are patiently waiting for mass vaccination.

Here is the list of LGUs in the country which secured vaccine funds:

MANILA CITY

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, the local government had signed a nondisclosure agreement with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

Around P250 million will be used from the city’s 2021 budget to fund the free inoculation program for the residents of Manila.

Makati City

Makati Mayor Abby Binay on Monday said that their city government allocated P1 billion for COVID-19 vaccine procurement. She also announced that the vaccines will be soon given for free to all citizens of Makati.

Pasig City

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto stated that around P300 million from the city’s 2021 budget has been allotted for the procurement and purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.

 “Kung ilan po ang available sa market, kung ilan ang kaya ng budget natin, gagawin po natin. I assure everyone that we will be very transparent with our procurement process once may presyo na, kung ilan, anong brand,” Sotto said.

Quezon City

The Quezon City government has allotted an initial P1 billion in its 2021 budget to purchase vaccines and supplies needed for the inoculation. They have also launched their new QCitizen ID, which will help the QC government to determine who will be on the vaccination priority list.

San Juan City

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora through a signed ordinance allocated some P50 million for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. The residents in their locality can now register online for free COVID-19 vaccine jabs in their respective barangay halls or health centers.

Caloocan City

Mayor Oca Malapitan shared that they have prepared P125 million to fund the COVID-19 vaccines for the residents of Caloocan City. He added that the city government is also planning for an additional P1 billion budget for their inoculation program.

Parañaque City

 Mayor Edwin Olivarez stated that the city has set aside a P250 million budget for the procurement of vaccines. The local government of Parañaque is aiming to inoculate at least 300,000 residents with the COVID-19 vaccine this year, according to

Mandaluyong City

Mayor Menchie Abalos also announced that the city government has earmarked P200 million budget for the vaccines.

“Pipilitin namin, sa abot ng aming makakaya at sa pakikipagtulungan ng bawat isa, na mabakunahan ang bawat Mandaleño,” Abalos said on Monday during a meeting with the city’s COVID-19 cluster committee members.

Valenzuela City

Mayor Rex Gatchalian said that the city’s government allotted P150 million to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for its residents.

Marikina City

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said that a P82.7 million budget was approved last November to procure and purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

Navotas City

The city government of Navotas, according to Mayor Toby Tiangco, will set aside P20 million to acquire vaccines.

Taguig City

Mayor Lino Cayetano announced that the Taguig City government has allotted a P1 billion fund was allocated in Taguig City to purchase COVID-19 vaccines which can be used to conduct free vaccination for the city’s residents.

Pasay City

Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano said the city aims to inoculate approximately 275,000 persons after the city government of Pasay allotted P250 million for vaccine procurement. 

Baguio City

 A total of P100 million is allocated for Baguio City's vaccination program. On Monday, Jan. 11, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced that the city government has made a deal with AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm, for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines that will benefit a total of 190,000 individuals or residents that are aged 18 and above.

"The mayor said that AstraZeneca initially planned to supply doses good for only 50,000 persons for the city but the company subsequently approved the mayor's request to increase the allocation to cover 70% of the target population and enable the city to establish herd immunity against the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)," City of Baguio's Public Information Office said.

IloIlo City

 Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has signed a multilateral agreement with AstraZeneca for the purchase of 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines on January 10.

 Vigan City

 Vigan City in the province of Ilocos Sur has signed on Jan. 10, an agreement for the advance purchase of 100,000 to 120,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines.

To date, the following list above is the first place in the Philippines that have made an initiative to procure the COVID-19 vaccine for the inoculation of their residents.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government has secured some 25 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese firm Sinovac, with the initial batch expected by February, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced Sunday.

"We sealed the deal with Sinovac for 25 million with early 50,000 doses by February, 950,000 by March, and 2 to 3 million in succeeding months 'til December with 25 million doses. This is in addition to AstraZeneca as confirmed by Sec. Galvez," he was quoted in a report Bermudez on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

This 2021, COVID-19 policy chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the Philippines targets to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos from COVID-19 this year.

According to a report from GMA News, the Philippines has already allocated P73.2 billion for the procurement of the vaccines, with P40 billion coming from multilateral agencies, P20 billion from domestic sources, and P13.2 billion from bilateral agreements.

Aside from PH bet’s Sinovac, the government has already inked the term sheet to secure 30 million doses of the Covovax vaccine to be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with Faberco Life Sciences Inc. as its Philippine partner, according to reports.

What can you say about this “gap” and solely movements of the LGUs without mediation from the national government?