The Philippines is spending a little more for Covid-19 vaccines to obtain them earlier, vaccine czar Carito Galvez Jr. has said.
In a televised meeting with the president and Cabinet officials, Galvez said the country’s negotiators have been doing this “technique” to procure vaccines faster.
“Iyong ongoing negotiation po natin sa mga ibang vaccine ay kailangan po na ina-ano po namin na kung puwede silang magkaroon ng early delivery,” he said.
“At nagne-negotiate din po tayo kahit mapamahal nang kaunti basta ma-early delivery lang po sila ng second quarter at saka po ng first quarter.”
In the same address, Galvez revealed that the country was expecting 161 million vaccine doses this year.
However, only 29.2 million doses are expected to arrive by June.
The Philippines has recorded 568,680 Covid-19 cases as of Feb. 25.
Its vaccine rollout aims to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos by yearend. John Ezekiel J. Hirro