President Rodrigo Duterte has said he may visit the United States to personally thank the American government for donating COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines.
Duterte’s statement followed the arrival of 5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the US government.
“We have vaccines and they have already arrived. This was said by Secretary (Carlito) Galvez and Secretary (Francisco) Duque that America donated 5 million,” the President said in his pre-recorded public address late Thursday.
“America is very kind. I may visit there just to thank the American government and the people. What does America look like?” he said.
The President earlier moved to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement with the Americans but withdrew his decision following his July meeting with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III.
He admitted that America’s COVID-19 vaccine donations played a role in his decision not to terminate the VFA.
In 2017, former US President Donald Trump invited the Filipino leader to visit the US but he declined.
As of Thursday, Duterte said the Philippines received more than 71 million vaccine doses against COVID-19.
The government purchased 46 million doses, while 16 million doses came from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility.