PHL donating $1 million to COVAX Facility, says President Duterte

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Duterte: “It’s our turn also to return the goodwill that they (COVAX) have shown”

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on May 31, 2021. RICHARD MADELO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

 

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines will be donating $1 million to the COVAX Facility in response to its request for aid, and as a sign of gratitude of its big help in donating millions of doses of vaccines to the country.

COVAX which is operating under the World Health Organization has so far donated over 2.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, as well as the 193,000 Pfizer doses that had been delivered. Millions of Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses will also be coming to the country thru COVAX.

President Duterte said that COVAX has formally asked the Philippines for a donation to keep their operations to buy vaccines for low-income countries running.

“Itong binibigay ng COVAX sa atin marami at ngayon, bumawi naman sila na nagkukulang na ‘yong pera nila to help other countries, maybe including the Philippines, and they are asking for contributions para makabili pa sila, to keep the operation running because they — well, probably are running low of funds also; and they have asked the Philippines formally for a donation,” Duterte said in his Talk to the Nation on Monday night, May 31.

“The Philippines is giving 1 million dollars. It’s our turn also to return the goodwill that they have shown,” the President said.

“That is 1 million dollars, that’s about 50 million pesos. Magko-contribute po ako kasi napakabuti ng COVAX sa atin.”

Duterte noted that aside from China, it is the COVAX Facility under WHO and the GAVI or the Global Vaccine Alliance, which were the main providers of vaccines to the country to defeat the COVID-19.

The Philippines welcomed tonight the arrival of 193,050 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines via DHL Plane Flight LD457 in NAIA Terminal 2, Pasay City on Monday night, May 10, 2021 (Photo courtesy PCOO)

“At the time we needed it most, one of the earliest agencies to help us aside from the — the contributions made by China…. We were recipients of COVAX vaccines many times and it has helped a lot in our desire to vaccinate Filipinos,” he said.

The following is the breakdown so far of total vaccine doses delivered in the country: Sinovac – 5.5 million doses; AstraZeneca (thru COVAX Facility) – 2,556,000 doses; Sputnik V – 80,000 doses (15,000 as first dose, another 15,000 for its second dose, and 50,000 doses delivered on Sunday); and Pfizer (thru COVAX) – 193,050 doses.

(Eagle News Service)