MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is planning to procure vaccines from pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and AstraZeneca to help the government in the vaccination drive against COVID-19.
Senator Richard Gordon, who also chairs PRC, said in an interview with reporters on Tuesday that he will have a meeting with Pfizer representatives regarding the procurement of its vaccines.
Asked if the meeting is about the PRC planning to buy its own vaccines against COVID-19, he said: “That’s right. The first plan of the Red Cross is to vaccinate, like we do with measles, tumutulong kami sa (we help) Department of Health, at saka sa polio (and also with polio).”
Gordon also said he had already spoken with the ambassador of the United Kingdom in the Philippines so that the PRC can be provided with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines.
“May sulat na ako na ginawa sa AstraZeneca. I don’t mind telling you, I have already spoken with the UK ambassador. Nakiusap ako na pwede bang isama niyo ang Red Cross,” he said.
(I had already written for the vaccines from AstraZeneca. I don’t mind telling you, I have already spoken with the UK ambassador. I asked if the Red Cross can be provided with the vaccines.)
According to Gordon, the initial target of the PRC is to procure one million vials of the vaccines.
He added that he wants those who will receive COVID-19 shots from PRC to also donate for the vaccination of others if they can do so.
“Ang dream ko diyan, halimbawa magdo-donate ako ng isa, pero bakunahan niyo na rin ako,” he explained.
(My dream about that is, for example, I will donate a vaccine, but vaccinate me as well.)
“Halimbawa kapag nagpaturok ako, ‘yung pamilya ko, mag-sponsor din ako ng iba rin. Hindi tayo selfish. We should define ourselves as a sharing nation,” he added.
(For example, if I and my family get vaccinated, I will sponsor the vaccination of other people. We are not selfish. We should define ourselves as a sharing nation.)
KGA
RELATED STORY
PH Red Cross to help gov’t in COVID-19 vaccination, says Gordon