Baguio Covid cases up; city council sets P94-M for pandemic response

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY — The city council approved the request of the executive body for supplemental budget of P94.29 million to augment dwindling funds of the city for its Covid-19 operations in special session Thursday.
    The amount will be sourced out by realigning appropriations earmarked for the city’s programs and projects that remain unimplemented.
    The local finance committee issued a certificate of availability of appropriations for the realignment. 
    Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in his letter to the city council, said this amount will be used for the city’s Covid-19 operations which is a “priority.”
    “With the continuing rise of Covid-19 cases in our city and unending threat of various variants of concern, we have to intensify our Covid-10 responses outlined in our resiliency and contingency plans,” he said.
    The mayor said he local government is focused on identifying additional isolation and Covid-19 facilities to address the city’s increasing demand for more facilities due to the continuing surge in new cases.
    The city is bolstering its vaccination campaign to reach target population and attain herd immunity before the year ends, he added. 
    All these efforts, according to the chief executive, need financial support.
    Specified projects to be funded by the P94-M supplemental budget are the following:
    Maintenance of the two isolation facilities, Sto. Nino Hospital (P18,143,761.00) and Baguio Teacher’s Camp (P16,714,494.00); contact tracing operations (P20,287,656.00); Baguio Convention Center Triage (P13,415,248.00); COVID-19 vaccine roll out activity (P20,635,316.00); protecting and shielding the vulnerable population (P4,338,600.00), strengthening the conduct of mass testing to constituents (P400,000.00); mental health care and wellness program (P201,450.00); and strengthening the Emergency Operation Center/One Hospital Command Center (P162,864.00).
    Due to the urgency of the matter, the requested supplemental budget was
 approved by the council.
    The LFC and City Health Services Office were requested to attend the council’s regular session on Oct. 18 to answer questions raised by council members regarding the appropriated amount and clarify concerns regarding the city’s Covid-19 operations.