IF APPROVED, booster shots against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will be given to all vaccinated Filipinos in 2022, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said Thursday, August 19, 2021.
A P45.3-billion budget for the procurement of booster shots is included in the over P240-billion proposed Covid-19 response funds for 2022.
“We have a budget entry for booster shots for all Filipinos. Ang halaga ay P45 billion, kasama ‘yan sa proposed budget,” Roque said in a televised press briefing Thursday.
“Walang issue na sa 2022, mabibigyan tayo lahat ng booster shot dahil andiyan sa budget,” he added.
The P45-billion budget for booster shots is under unprogrammed appropriations for the Department of Health.
As of August 18, a total of 29,127,240 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide.
Roque said 12,877,197 individuals have been fully vaccinated while 16,250,043 have received one dose.
The Philippines has received a total of 42,940,390 doses of Covid-19 vaccines since February 2021.
Roque said over four million doses more are expected to arrive by the end of the week. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)