Funds for anti-covid vaccines ready

PRESIDENT DUTERTE assured the public that the government has money for the acquisition of Russian and Chinese vaccines for the coronavirus disease.

“I have the money already for the vaccine but hahanap pa ako ng maraming pera because you know there are now 113 million Filipinos. And to me, ideally, all should have the vaccine without exception. Lahat, para mayroon kayong lifetime whatever, but it can provide immunity,” he said. Duterte said the first

to receive the vaccine are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and those who received the government’s cash aid and frontliners such as the members of the police and the military.

He said Russia has pledged to build a pharmaceutical facility in the country. He said Igor Khovaev, the outgoing Russian ambassador to the Philippines, told him about Russia’s intention to invest in the Philippines.

“I just had a talk with the Ambassador of Russia, the outgoing, and we had a serious one-on-one talk and they said that Russia is coming in; mayroon lang sigurong tinatapos and they would want to establish here. Gagawa sila ng planta, pharmaceutical lang naman, and ang vaccine papasok rin sila, he said.

Duterte said Russia and the Philippines have agreed for the conduct of phase three clinical trial for Russia’s Sputnik V, which was expected to take place simultaneously in the Philippines and Russia from October 2020 to March 2021.

The Philippines recorded over 346,000 Covid with more than 6,000 dying from the disease. (Mindanao Examiner)