Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER file photo / JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expressed hope on Monday that some COVID-19 vaccines developed by Sinovac will be donated to the Philippines by the Chinese government, citing the two nations’ “close relations.”
The Philippines has already secured 25 million doses of vaccines from China’s Sinovac.
“I don’t know about the terms and conditions but of course, we expect that it will be paid but let’s see, maybe, just maybe, I’m just speculating, China will donate some of it. Let’s see,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.
“Because their Chinese foreign minister [Wang Yi] is coming, I don’t know what he will say but many of us are praying that perhaps, some of these vaccines can be donated. After all, we do have very close relations with China,” he went on.
Roque said 50,000 doses of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the country in February.
The Philippines will wait for Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) before administering it to the public, Roque explained.
“But we can do what Indonesia did. Accept delivery and wait for the approval of regulatory authorities,” he added.
No COVID-19 vaccine has so far been given an EUA by the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Apart from Sinovac, the Philippines already signed deals for vaccines developed by the Serum Institute of India and British drugmaker AstraZeneca.