Upbeat on achieving herd immunity in the city by September, Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso marked Manila’s 450th founding anniversary by welcoming 400,000 doses of Sinovac at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Moreno said the COVID-19 vaccines is the local government unit’s gift to the people of Manila.
The procurement was made possible through a tripartite agreement with the national government and the assistance of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.
The Manila City Council raised P298.5 million to buy the vaccines.
“We are excited…. With the help of the national government in providing vaccines to the LGUs, in the next two weeks we will try to finish this set at the rate we are going,” Domagoso said.
“Your city will continue to vaccinate as many as possible, as soon as possible,” he added.
The Manila mayor was joined by top city officials and representatives from Sinovac’s local distributor, IP-Biotech, Inc. (IPB), in receiving the COVID-19 vaccines.
Manila also bought last year 800,000 doses of AstraZeneca that are expected to arrive in September or earlier.
So far, Manila has vaccinated 41 percent of its 800,000-target population.
It also partnered with the Office of the Vice President in the so-called “Vaccine Express” project with drivers of tricycles and delivery services as beneficiaries.
Under the program, the vacinees were given gas cards to help them get back to work and revive the economy.