Vials with a sticker reading, “COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only” and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
MANILA, Philippines — Over 200 Philippine companies are set to sign a tripartite deal with British drugmaker AstraZeneca and the national government for the procurement of additional vaccines for COVID-19, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said Monday.
In a televised Laging Handa Public Briefing, Concepcion said the companies are expected to sign the deal by Thursday.
The second deal will bring the total number of purchased AstraZeneca vaccine doses to 6 million, half of which will be donated to the national government while the other half will be used for the companies’ employees.
Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion
“That will be good for 3 million people. Kalahati mapupunta sa government, kalahati nun mapupunta sa private sector,” Concepcion said.
In November, over 30 private firms signed a deal with the government for 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine worth around P700 million.