Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc emphasized that the mobilization of resources demonstrated the patriotism, solidarity and self-sacrifice of the business community and the people, and also demonstrated the extremely correct and open foreign policy of our Party and State.

"In addition to the state budget resources, funding from businesses and aid from countries and people is extremely large," Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc emphasized.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc also emphasized the Government 's drastic, flexible and effective fiscal policy management in recent times; the Government has been determined to prevent and fight the epidemic but also directed and created all favorable conditions for businesses and people to develop production and business.

Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc: The Government has been very determined in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic.

Regarding specific information about the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund, Minister Ho Duc Phoc said that the fund has so far collected 10,791 billion VND, of which 7,672 billion was spent on purchasing vaccines, with a remaining 3,118.9 billion VND out of a total of 693,476 donations.

Emphasizing that the outbreak of the epidemic was unpredictable because there was no precedent and the Government had been very determined in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, Minister Ho Duc Phoc recounted the formation of this fund.

"I still remember that at 9 o'clock at night, the Prime Minister called me to ask if it was possible to establish a Vaccine Fund. I reported to the Prime Minister that it was possible to establish it and that same night, at 10 o'clock at night, we convened a meeting and assigned tasks to departments and divisions to develop regulations and establish the Vaccine Fund, and at the same time assigned the Department of Public Administration to develop a Circular guiding the organization, operation, management, use, accounting, settlement, and financial disclosure of the Vietnam Covid-19 Vaccine Fund," the Minister of Finance recounted.

The next morning, these documents were “placed on the Prime Minister’s desk”, Minister Ho Duc Phoc emphasized, thanks to the establishment of the fund, we have nearly 11 trillion VND to proactively buy vaccines. “This is a success”, the Minister emphasized and said that, in addition to establishing the Vaccine Fund, the aid goods have also been subject to the measure of exporting goods first, then collecting documents and records later to ensure “fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy”, ensuring the rescue of people infected with Covid-19.

“There were nights when the Prime Minister chaired a meeting until 2 a.m. I was so tired at 1 a.m. that I left first, but halfway there the Prime Minister called me to go back. The meeting lasted until 2 a.m. to finalize the policy mechanism, and by the time I went back to sleep, it was almost morning,” the Minister of Finance recalled, affirming: “The Government is very determined in fighting the epidemic.”

Thanks to that, when Resolution No. 43 of the National Assembly on fiscal and monetary policies to support the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program was issued on January 11, 2022; and after only 17 days, the Ministry of Finance submitted and the Government issued Decree No. 15 regulating tax exemption and reduction policies, effective on February 1, 2022.

“Only 20 days after the National Assembly resolution, there was a decree to immediately implement support measures for businesses,” the Minister of Finance affirmed. During that period, all sectors focused on fighting the epidemic to save people, to restore the economy.

“We personally accompanied the Prime Minister to inspect Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong. When we arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport, the four ministers had almost nothing to eat, so we had to tell our colleagues to go find instant noodles. After more than an hour, the four ministers got four packs of instant noodles, ate them, and got on the plane to return home late at night,” said Minister Ho Duc Phoc, adding that this was a sharing during the epidemic period, all ministries and sectors focused on fighting the epidemic to save people and restore the economy.

In addition, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said he would accept the opinions of delegates regarding difficulties and problems in the process of mobilizing, managing and using resources.

Minister Ho Duc Phoc said that if the funds provided by businesses and people to support local epidemic prevention and control have not been fully used, they must be proposed to the Prime Minister to be used to modernize medical equipment or for epidemic prevention and control.

GRASSLAND