Galvez: Gov't eyeing COVID-19 vaccine supply deals with China, UK, US firms

The Philippine government is eyeing to secure COVID-19 vaccine supply deals from manufacturers in China, United Kingdom and the United States within the month, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday.

Galvez said while the price of COVID-19 vaccine procurement cannot be disclosed at this point due to confidentiality disclosure agreement between the Philippines and the manufacturers, the Philippines will be assured of as much as 30 to 50 million COVID-19 vaccine supply.

“Iyong price, very negotiable, mababa iyong price na nakuha natin. Kapag nakuha natin iyong advance commitment by the end of November, mga dalawa o tatlong kumpanya, more or less, kaya natin makakuha ng 30 to 50 million COVID-19 vaccines,” Galvez said at a Palace briefing.

“Most likely within November 30 matatapos natin 'yung tatlo [na manufacturers] na kinakausap natin. Nakausap na po natin ang embahada po ng Tsina at UK, and then nakapag-usap na po kami, two months ago pa, ng US. Once na magkaroon tayo ng advance market commitment ay kaagad na ilalatag nila ang kanilang manufacturing supply,” he added.

Of the possible 50 million COVID-19 vaccine supply, Galvez said that the country is assured of 17 million from the COVAX facility.

“Ang earlier, possibly, iyong sa Russia, kung tama ang sinabi ng ating ambassador, first quarter [ng 2021], puwede pong magkaroon na tayo ng bakuna,” Galvez said.

“Iyong sa COVAX naman po, earliest in May, June [2021], at mas maraming supply by third and fourth quarter, even 2022,” added Galvez, also the chief implementer of the government's policy against COVID-19.

Only COVID-19 vaccines developed by American firms Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been proven at least 94% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection so far after human trials.

The Duterte administration has earmarked P2.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccine procurement under the proposed 2021 national budget.

Galvez, however, said the government will be aided by multilateral financing institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, among other bilateral loans.

The Philippines has recorded 412,097 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 374,666 recovered while 7,957 died. The number of COVID-19 active cases is at 29,474. —KBK, GMA News