The 56 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are expected to arrive in May through the COVAX facility. Meanwhile, Manny Villar’s company negotiated with AstraZeneca for their staff and donations to the public.
According to Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by American pharmaceutical companies will arrive in the country under the so-called COVAX facility — an international agreement of manufacturers and experts to expedite production and distribution of the drug against COVID-19.
“Since May 2020, we have been reaching out to pharmaceutical companies here to secure immediate access to COVID-19 vaccine supply, a pathway to sustainable supply and even co-manufacturing the vaccine with Philippine entities, and I am happy to report that these [initiatives] have been fruitful,” said Romualdez in a virtual forum of Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP).
“We secured separate deals with Novavax, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson for 30 million doses, 20 million doses, and six million doses, respectively, and we see initial delivery as early as May,” he added.
It is said that Philippine diplomats are also negotiating with the US to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through COVAX.
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration has already granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine which is said to be 92% to 95% effective against the virus.
56M COVID-19 vaccine doses to arrive in PH in May
The British firm AstraZeneca also has EUA which is said to be 70% effective.
The Philippines has an agreement for the 17 million COVID-19 vaccine doses of AstraZeneca funded by the private sector that they donate to the government.
Meanwhile, through the home furnishing business AllHome, businessman Manny Villar also negotiated for the acquisition of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines.
In a statement, it was said that the vaccines will be used for their staff and public donations.
“The Villar Group believes in protecting employees and their families. This vaccine will save not only lives but jobs and businesses as well,” said Villar.
“The vaccine will not only provide protection from the virus, but it will help boost consumer confidence to go out again. It is by helping each other during this time that we can start our journey to economic recovery,” he added.