Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (Photo from Kiko Pangilinan website / kikopangilinan.com / MANILA BULLETIN) However, Pangilinan warned that the “slow” bureaucratic process could derail the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program since he believes that the country could even shore up additional funds to finance it. “Hindi pera ang problema; bureakrasya ang problema (Money is not the problem; bureaucracy is the problem),” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel. Under the 2021 general appropriations, a total of P72.5 billion was appropriated for the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, P2.5 billion of which was allocated to the Department of Health, while P70 billion was lodged under the unprogrammed appropriations.