Palace: Duterte expected to talk to India’s Modi on COVID-19 vax supply

(FILE) President Rodrigo Duterte and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declare their joint statement following a successful bilateral meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India on January 24, 2018. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte may also talk to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the country’s COVID-19 vaccine supply, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Wala pong immediate schedule pero nabanggit na po dati ng ating Pangulo na si [Prime Minister] Modi dahil isa rin po yan na major source ng ating vaccines,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing when asked if Duterte will also be talking with other national leaders.

(There is no immediate schedule yet but the President previously said he will also talk to Prime Minister Modi because they are also one of the major sources of vaccines.)

On Tuesday, Duterte had a teleconference with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the two nations’ cooperation in the COVID-19 pandemic fight.

LOOK: Duterte talks with Russia’s Putin via teleconference

Malacañang said Duterte and Putin have agreed that COVID-19 vaccines, including Russia’s Sputnik V should be distributed in as many countries as possible.

The Philippines is ordering 20 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. Of which, 500,000 doses are expected to arrive this April.

Recently, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. flew to India and signed the country’s supply agreement for 30 million doses of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccines which will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

/MUF