13M Filipinos to receive COVID-19 vaccines from LGUs, private sector —Nograles

At least 13 million Filipinos will receive COVID-19 vaccines to be purchased by local government units (LGUs) and the private sector, a Malacañang official said Tuesday.

The Philippines aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people this year. So far, the national government allocated P75 billion for the procurement of vaccines for 57 million people while the LGUs and the private sector will buy vaccines for 13 million people, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

“The planned rollout of our vaccines is good news that impacts not only the health of our people, but the economic well-being of our country as well,” Nograles said at a news conference.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday that at least 50,000 Filipinos are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by February using Sinovac vaccines.

He said this vaccination will serve as a rehearsal for the national rollout of inoculation.

Galvez added that around 25,000 people are undergoing training to administer the vaccines to Filipinos.

The Philippines has so far reported 489,736 COVID-19 cases, with 9,416 deaths. --KBK, GMA News