SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Friday said that the P57.3 billion in loans secured by the government for the procurement of vaccines can cover the P25-billion requirement for the vaccination of minors.

With the borrowings, the government need not look for funds to buy Covid19 vaccines for those below 17 years old.

The senator said that based on figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority, only P30.4 billion might be needed to inoculate 68.2 million adult Filipinos this year.

Lacson said that the country’s population will reach 110,198,654 by July 1.

“Of this, 62 percent or 68.323 million are adults. If we multiply this by P446 per dose, including logistical costs, we will need about P30.472-billion to inoculate our adult Filipinos,” he explained.

“Thus, the difference of P26.83-billion is more than enough to cover the P25-billion requirement to procure the vaccines for our minors,” he added.

Even if the government were to inoculate 83.8 million adults, it would only need P37.3 billion, he said.