813,150 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Philippines

A total of 813,150 doses of procured Pfizer vaccines versus COVID-19 arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday night.

According to state-controlled media PTV, the arrival of the shipment was welcomed by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires John Law at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at past 9 p.m.

In a press conference after the arrival, Galvez said most of the vaccines will be deployed to Metro Manila and other "highly-urbanized areas."

"Most of these vaccines  will be given to Region 4A and Region 3 and also partly in Region 1 and also areas of Visayas and Iloilo," said Galvez, partly in Filipino.

Prior to this, 100,000 doses each of the 813,150 jabs were delivered to Cebu and Davao.

Law, for his part, said the United States is "very happy" on the continuous delivery of vaccines in the Philippines.

"We have been working closely with Secretary Galvez and his team and they are doing extraordinary work to bring as many vaccines as quickly as possible in the Philippines to help ensure the widest possible access," said Law during the same press conference at NAIA, adding that America will continue to support the Asian nation in its vaccination efforts.

In late July, Philippines also received over 300,000 Pfizer doses.

Galvez said, to date, 39.5 million doses of various vaccines have been delivered to Philippines. —Consuelo Marquez/NB, GMA News