Private sector to buy 3M doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine — Razon

The private sector, led by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.'s International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), has formed a buying consortium that will bring the first three million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the country.

In a statement on Thursday, Razon said a collaboration with the government, GoNegosyo and 30 other companies has been formed to procure the COVID-19 vaccine.

Through a tripartite agreement with the government and AstraZeneca, Razon said the vaccines will be distributed among health workers and economic frontliner personnel as part of the government’s inoculation priorities for mid-2021.

Razon added that ICTSI and its sister companies have also committed 50% of  300,000 purchased doses that it earlier announced to the national government.

Moderna order

ICTSI will also be the lead private sector party in the procurement and distribution of the Moderna vaccine to the Philippines, Razon added.

Last month, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez announced that the Philippines will procure 20 million doses of the US biotech firm's vaccine.

"Negotiations are ongoing and extremely advanced, and it is the combined group’s desire to secure these vaccines at the best possible price in the shortest amount of time. ICTSI has formally committed to manage and fund the entire international logistics effort for the Moderna order," Razon said.

Inoculation center

Razon also said that construction will soon begin on a state-of-the-art inoculation center to support his employees and their dependents, local government partners, government agencies and small and medium enterprises that will require administration support.

“Our main priority will be each and every employee and their qualified dependents, beginning with those who need it most: anyone with comorbidities and those 50 years old and above,” he said.

“The program will subsequently be focused on the broader maritime logistics industry and to the many tireless workers who have contributed to delivering essential work day in and day out across our waterfront,” Razon added.

Further, he said the company will also be supporting efforts to vaccinate at-risk residents of host communities, especially in Manila, Parañaque, lloilo, Cagayan de Oro and the Subic Freeport Area.

“I want to emphasize that our efforts will not stop here. We will continue to help where it is needed, particularly to ensure access to the vaccines for those in hard-to-reach areas across the rest of the country,” Razon said.

“You have our assurance that we will continue to do everything possible to ensure you, your families, and our partners across the waterfront have access to the most advanced, adequate, and safe vaccines anywhere.”

The Philippines aims to inoculate 50 to 70 million individuals within the year, and an estimated 50,000 is expected to be vaccinated in February. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BAP/BM, GMA News