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January 11, 2021

Why not buy COVID vaccines from ASEAN?: Sen. Francis Tolentino asks officials from the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) why the country is not purchasing COVID-19 vaccines being developed by fellow Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand during the hybrid hearing of the Committee of the Whole, Monday, January 11, 2021, on the national COVID-19 vaccination program. Tolentino said government should consider obtaining vaccines being developed by other ASEAN countries in cooperation with major pharmaceutical companies, which might be cheaper and just as effective as vaccines offered by other developed nations. The senator pointed out that Taiwan and Thailand are particularly offering COVID-19 vaccines at a low price. He added that the Philippines should emulate its ASEAN neighbors and locally develop COVID-19 vaccines in partnership with foreign pharmaceutical firms. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)

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