Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte likely considered COVID-19 vaccine donation from the United States when he decided to retract the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) termination.
“The President considered the totality of the recent situation and thorough assessment [of the agreement] based on national interest,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said of the recent Duterte order to keep the VFA after meeting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Manila.
“By considering the totality of the circumstances, there is a good possibility that it (COVID-19 vaccine donation) was factored in the situation,” Roque added.
According to the records from the US Embassy in Manila, the US government has donated at least 13.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines so far. Of this number, 3.2 million doses were direct donations, while 10 million doses were from COVAX facility.
The US also donated three million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines which are expected to arrive on Tuesday, August 3, according to Roque.
In May, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said the country would be receiving surplus Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses from the United States.
Vaccine donations from US possible factor in keeping VFA – Palace
“It’s free, it’s part of the help they are giving to their allies,” Romualdez said in a radio interview.
The Philippines bought at least 20 million doses of vaccine from America’s Moderna. The national government paid for the 13 million while the private sector paid for the seven million.
Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Duterte canceled the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.
“The President decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA,” Lorenzana said in a press conference with visiting US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.
The Defense chief made the announcement after Duterte met with Austin in Malacanang.
Palace said Duterte and Austin agreed that the ties between the Philippines and the US could be improved through “enhanced communication and greater cooperation, particularly in areas of pandemic response, combating transnational crimes, including drug war, maritime domain awareness, rule of law and trade and investments.”
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