President Rodrigo Duterte holds a vial of the AstraZeneca vaccine that arrived in the country Thursday night, March 4, 2021. Screengrab of the live feed of PTV / Noy Morcoso
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday thanked the donor-countries for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines, saying how they remember poor nations like the Philippines is a “plus for humanity.”
Duterte personally witnessed the arrival of AstraZeneca jabs from the World Health Organization-led Covax facility, a global platform aiming to provide equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines especially in low and middle-income countries.
“I don’t know how to express my gratitude to the donor countries. That you remember the poor nations is in fact a plus for humanity,” Duterte said in his speech during a ceremony for the vaccines’ arrival at Villamor Airbase.
“And on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines and of the people, I’d like to say again that we felt the gratitude in our hearts and may God bless you for your benevolence. Thank you,” he added.
Duterte again appealed to Filipinos to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and be a “government partner in preventing further spread of the disease.”
“I encourage you to get vaccinated at a soonest possible time. These vaccines are safe and they are the key to reopening our society,” he said.
Although the Philippines “may not be out of the woods,” Duterte noted that it is “making progress and the end is in sight.”
“With your cooperation, we will overcome this pandemic and ensure the health and safety of everyone,” Duterte said.
The AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived were under Covax’s pool of jabs donated by Germany, Norway, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Greece and Australia.
The jabs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at past 7 p.m. and was towed to Villamor Air Base for the ceremony.