MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has yet to return the 1,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine donated by China, three weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered its withdrawal, Malacañang said Thursday.
However, the Philippines may just keep the doses once the vaccine secures an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“Hindi pa naire-return ‘yung 1,000 doses pero tingnan natin ‘yung susunod na pangyayari dahil talagang napakabilis ng developments pagdating sa Sinopharm,” he said in a Palace briefing.
(The doses haven’t been returned yet but let’s see for other developments.)
“May possibility na kapag lumabas ang EUA ay baka hindi na natin isauli,” Roque added.
(There is a possibility that when the EUA is issued, we will no longer return the doses.)
FDA Director General Eric Domingo earlier said the Department of Health (DOH) submitted its EUA application for Sinopharm on May 20, and experts are currently finishing up its evaluation.
The DOH has yet to submit additional documents but evaluation and the issuance of the EUA could happen in a matter of days.
“Now that may World Health Organization emergency use listing at baka possibly in the matter of days lalabas na ang EUA, baka maging moot and academic na ‘yung controversy,” Roque said.
(Now that the vaccine is under WHO EUL and the EUA may possibly be issued in a matter of days, the controversy will be moot and academic.)
Duterte was inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine on May 3 even though the vaccine has no EUA yet.
After receiving backlash, Duterte ordered to return the 1,000 doses donated by China and even asked Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to stop sending doses of the vaccine brand to the Philippines, and send instead another Chinese brand, Sinovac.