Filipino-Chinese bizmen to ink tripartite deal for 500,000 Sinovac doses 'soon'

Filipino-Chinese businessmen are now working to ink a tripartite agreement with China and the Philippine government to procure some 500,000 doses of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine.

Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) president Henry Lim Bon Liong on Monday said the group is now in talks with the Chinese pharmaceutical firm with an agreement set to be signed soon.

"We have preference for Sinovac vaccine because it is developed using the traditional virus and because it is a proven technology," he said during the Tapatan sa Aristocrat news forum.

The FFCCCII is a non-stock, non-profit umbrella group that counts as members commerce and trade associations across the Philippines. It is the largest organization of Filipino-Chinese businesses.

Lim said the government will not require the group to donate half of the doses to be procured, but the group will still do so.

"They said it is no longer needed but to show respect, out of the 500,000 vaccines that we are ordering, part of that we would like also to donate to the government to show our goodwill also. Hopefully, we can sign our tripartite as soon as possible," he said.

The businessman said the 500,000 doses are ready, but still awaiting government clearance given the prioritization of the government which puts medical frontliners at the top of the list.

"In the case of Sinovac, of course, you know the Filipino-Chinese community, we have a pipeline of our own with the Chinese government regarding this one," said Lim.

"Actually, the 500,000 are ready but you know, we respect of course the judgment of our government in trying to give priority to the medical frontlines," he added.

The government targets to vaccinate 70 million Filipinos this year, but only 1.1 million doses have arrived in the country so far, all of which have been donations. Those procured have yet to be received.—AOL, GMA News