Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Friday at least 20 million Filipinos would get a free COVID-19 vaccine once it is developed.
Dominguez made the announcement during the briefing in Malacañang Thursday night and aired Friday morning. He added the government would pay for the P20 billion worth of COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to be available by December 2020.
“May three pharmaceutical companies na po sa China, one from Great Britain, one from the US na nasa advanced stage na. By around October, matatapos ang trials, so before December, most likely ma-aapprove ito ng Food and Drug Administration nila,” Dominguez said.
(There are already three pharmaceutical companies in China, one from Great Britain, one from the US that is already in the advanced stage. By around October, the trials will end, so before December, it will most likely be approved by their Food and Drug Administration.)
“When that happens, DOH ang mamimili ng tamang bakunang bibilhin. May financing na po kami. The vaccine will be free for 20 million people, $10 per dose, mga P20 billion po,” the Finance chief added.
(When that happens, the DOH will choose the right vaccine to buy. We already have financing. The vaccine will be free for 20 million people, $10 per dose, about P20 billion.)
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He said the vaccines will be bought thru Philippine International Trading Corporation, which is under the Department of Trade and Industry, which will turn over the vaccine to DOH.
“Once this [purchase] is made, i-tuturnover sa DOH para magamit nila sa poorest of the poor, iyong lowest 20 million [income earners] in the country,” Dominguez said.
(Once the purchase is made, it would be turned over to DOH so they could use them for the poorest of the poor, the 20 million lowest income earners in the country.)
“DOH will put this in their budget, they will pay this P20 billion in two to three years, babayaran nila thru financing ng Landbank at DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines),” Dominguez said.