MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will personally witness the arrival of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccines from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Duterte also wants to express gratitude to WHO and the British government just like he did when he welcomed the arrival of Sinovac vaccines donated by China, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“He’s on standby to also be at the airport to receive the delivery of the COVAX vaccine AstraZeneca kung kailan po ito mangyayari. Kahapon po, nagbigay siya (Duterte) ng order matapos ang talk to the people, sabihin lang sa kanya kung kailan darating at sasalubong rin po siya,” Roque said in an online briefing.
(He’s on standby to also be at the airport to receive the delivery of the COVAX vaccine AstraZeneca whenever it will happen. Yesterday after his talk to the people, he ordered to let him know when this will be and he’ll also personally witness the arrival.)
“Uuwi siya ng Maynila kung siya ay nasa Davao at sasalubong din siya sa AstraZeneca dahil kung dumating, kinakailangan pasalamatan din natin ang WHO at ang gobyerno ng Inglatera dahil itong papasok at darating na COVAX facility allocation ng AstraZeneca ay dahil po sa intercession ni Ambassador [Daniel] Pruce ng United Kingdom,” he added.
(He will return to Manila if he’s in Davao and he will welcome the arrival of AstraZeneca because it’s important to also thank WHO and the British government since the arrival of AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX facility was because of Ambassador Pruce’s intercession.)
Some 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccines were supposed to arrive in the Philippines on Monday, March 1, but Health Secretary Francisco Duque said this will be delayed by a week due to global supply issues.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said there is no definitive date yet on when the AstraZeneca vaccines will be delivered to the Philippines.