AFP welcomes Duterte's order to be 'implementing arm' of COVID-19 vaccine program

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday welcomed the latest pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte ordering the military to implement the government's free COVID-19 immunization program.

Hours after Duterte bared his plan, AFP spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said AFP chief General Felimon Santos Jr. has directed his staff to prepare for their new task.

"Ikinatutuwa po natin ang malaking tiwala sa AFP ng ating Commander-in-Chief," Arevalo said.

"Bagaman at kababanggit pa lang ng Pangulo ang tungkol sa bagay na 'yan, kaagad pong inatasan ng ating AFP chief of staff General Felimon Santos, Jr. ang kanyang mga staff upang pagplanuhan at paghandaan 'yan before December kung kailan pinaniniwalaan na magkakaroon na ng vaccine para sa COVID-19," he added.

According to Duterte, the military would be the implementing arm in the COVID-19 immunization program, noting that the vaccines will be made available by China to the Philippines by December of this year.

Duterte also said the police and the military would be given vaccines against COVID-19 as, for him, they are the backbone of his administration.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has said at least 20 million Filipinos will be provided with COVID-19 vaccine for free.

Dominguez said three pharmaceutical firms from China, one from Great Britain, and one from the US are already in their advanced stage of developing the vaccine.—AOL, GMA News