About 3.256 million doses of coronavirus vaccines are coming into the country this weekend, starting with over 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the Japanese government that arrived Thursday night.
President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the arrival of the 1,124,100 doses donated by Japan at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Minister Nakata Masahiro of the Japanese Embassy, and Philippine government officials witnessed the event.
“Let me thank the Government of Japan and the Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for working with the Philippine government in ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. These more than one million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine will surely go a long way in our quest for herd immunity,” Duterte said in a speech.
“Japan continues to be our strong partner in various development programs. Our cooperation in fighting the pandemic is truly an indication of the deep friendship between our two countries,” the President added.
Duterte added that by providing cold chain transport and ancillaries, Japan enabled the Philippines to ensure the safe and efficient transport of these vaccines and preserve its quality and integrity.
The arrival of the Japanese vaccine shipment at the airport was scheduled at 8:55 p.m. via All Nippon Airways flight NH-819 and was towed to the Kalayaan Hall in Villamor Air Base.
Shipments of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in the United Kingdom and Russia are also scheduled to arrive today (Friday) in Manila, the Manila International Airport Authority said.
Scheduled first to arrive at 4:15 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 are 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine via Emirates flight EK-332. The shipment came from the World Health Organization’s COVAX facility.
“This will be followed by the government-procured shipment of 132,200 doses of Sputnik V vaccine aboard Qatar Airways flight QR-928, which is expected to land at the NAIA Terminal 3 around 10:45 p.m.,” said MIAA Media Affairs Division chief Connie Bungag.
The government’s third party cold-chain and logistics partner Pharmaserv Express will receive the vaccines upon arrival at the airport to keep them safe in its facility in Barangay San Roque in Marikina City.
The donation of the vaccines was first announced by Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu in a press briefing June 15.
Premier Suga said in a message that the initiative “was a clear testament to the deep-rooted bonds of friendship between the two nations.”
“As we commemorate this year the 65th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-Philippines diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of our strategic partnership, Japan will work to surpass the unprecedented challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, in unison with the Philippines, a true friend closer than a brother,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific on Thursday said it has flown more than 2 million vaccine doses to 20 provinces since March. These were Bacolod, Bohol, Butuan, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Legazpi, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Virac, Zamboanga, Caticlan and Kalibo.