ANGELES City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. is pushing for a P600-million loan to acquire doses of vaccines to inoculate 411,634 residents.

Lazatin made the announcement on Sunday, January 24, 2021, after the Department of Health (DOH) in a letter dated January 18, 2021, replied to Lazatin that “the transfer of funds to local government units is not applicable under these circumstances.”

Lazatin earlier allocated P25 million for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines.

Lazatin tapped his Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas to represent him in initial talks with leading financial institutions so that the city government can acquire doses of vaccines for residents.

He will also ask the City Council led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting to support him by authorizing him to enter into a loan agreement to provide free vaccines to all Angeles City residents.

"The City Government has more than enough borrowing capacity. I am just putting it in good use,” Lazatin said.

Over the weekend, Lazatin had instructed his medical doctors led by Dr. Froilan Canlas of the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center or Ospital Ning Angeles and Dr. Verona Guevera of the City Health Office to come out with initial guidelines for the inoculation.

“While waiting for the guidelines of the national government, we are drafting our own as well then we will adjust according to the guidelines of the national government,” Lazatin said.