28 cold chain providers for vaccines tapped, talks ongoing for 5 more firms—official

MANILA, Philippines — The government has already tapped 28 cold chain providers for COVID-19 vaccines while talks are still ongoing with five other companies, National Task Force against COVID-19 deputy implementer Vince Dizon said Tuesday.

“Nakipagusap na po si [vaccine czar] Secretary [Carlito] Galvez and ating DOH [Department of Health] sa iba’t ibang mga logistics company at cold storage providers kagaya po halimbawa ng Orca, Royal Cargo, Zuellig at iba iba pa,” Dizon said in an online Palace briefing.

(Secretary Galvez and the DOH have already talked to different logistics companies and cold storage providers like Orca, Royal Cargo, Zuellig and others.)

“Sa kasalukuyan po, 28 cold chain providers na po ang nakausap at meron pa pong limang kinakausap sa kasalukuyan,” he added.

(Right now, 28 cold chain providers have been tapped and talks with five companies are still ongoing.)

Dizon said the government would talk to other companies and groups like the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP) for vaccine storage in provinces.

Last week, CCAP said the government has yet to formally reach out to their group for help in preparing equipment for the expected vaccines’ storage.

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