Press Release
February 3, 2021

First batch of vaccines to be delivered in the country this month, says Bong Go as he assures gov't working hard to lead country towards full recovery

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go disclosed on Tuesday, February 2, that at least 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines are expected to be delivered to the Philippines this month along with some 5.5 million to nine million doses of vaccines from AstraZeneca arriving on the first and second quarters.

"Sa ngayon po, ang inaasahan natin ngayong buwan na ito ay darating na raw ang unang in-order na vaccine mula sa COVAX. Itong COVAX po ay mula sa WHO (World Health Organization) at sila po ang nangako na magpapadala ng 117,000 na Pfizer vaccines at AstraZeneca, about 5.5 million to nine million," Go said in an ambush interview right after he attended the launch of the country's 100th Malasakit Center at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.

He added that the frontliners, who dedicate their lives in the battle against COVID-19, will receive the first batch of the vaccines purchased by the government for the first quarter of 2021. The private sector and the government will procure more vaccines for the second quarter.

"Ito po ang unang roll out. Uunahin po ang frontliners para patuloy silang makapagserbisyo. Ito po sa first quarter. Sa second quarter naman, ine-expect nila ang iba't ibang order po mula sa ating mga pribadong sector at government procurement," he shared.

The Senator pointed out that the huge demand for vaccines amid limited supply has become a challenge for the whole world.

"Problema po ngayon siguro ay supply. Nag-uunahan po ang supply sa ibang bansa. Nababalitaan namin na mismong malalaking bansa ay nag-o-order na rin po. Kahit sila mismo ay mga kumpanya na nagpo-produce ng vaccine ay nag-o-order na rin po sa ibang bansa dahil kulang po ang kanilang supply," he said.

Go assured, though, that President Rodrigo Duterte is closely monitoring the developments regarding the country's vaccine procurement until the government fulfills its targets to inoculate 50 to 70 million Filipinos.

"Mayroon na pong plano. Mayroong vaccine roadmap ang gobyerno being led by Secretary Galvez. Na-identify na po ang unang priority na bibigyan ng vaccine all over the country," said Go.

"Sa first roll out ng vaccine na gagawin na po ngayong Pebrero, sa Marso po another order. In the third quarter po, another order na naman po ang darating and, hopefully, by the end of the year, ma-vaccinate na po ang 50 to 70 million Filipinos and, by that time, makapag-adjust na at ma-attain na natin ang herd immunity," he added.

He stressed that the arrival of the vaccines will help boost the economy and eventually bring back to normalcy the lives of struggling Filipinos.

"Kaya po nakatutok ang ating mahal na Pangulo, ang ating gobyerno, sa vaccine dahil sa totoo lang po, ang pag-asa natin ay vaccine, para muling makapagbukas ang ating ekonomiya dahil PhP2 bilyon po araw-araw ang nawawala" he said.

"Kaya sa amin po sa gobyerno, importante na dumating po 'yung vaccine the soonest possible time po dahil sobrang malaking kawalan po sa Pilipino 'yung PhP2 billion a day na losses po habang wala pa tayong vaccine," he ended.

Earlier, Go assured the public that the government is working double time to revive the economy as the Philippine Statistics Authority reported an economic contraction of -9.5% in 2020, making it the steepest slump in the country's history since 1947.

"Sa ngayon naman ay dahan-dahan na nating binubuksan ang ekonomiya. Ginagawa natin ang lahat para maibalik ang normal na pamumuhay at maibigay pa rin sa taumbayan ang pangako ng Pangulo na mas komportableng buhay para sa bawat Pilipino," he said.

Go also urged the government to focus on three important factors towards economic recovery: addressing poverty and hunger, acquiring sufficient supply of safe and effective vaccines, and generating jobs and other livelihood opportunities in all parts of the country.

"Ipaglalaban ko ang tatlong importanteng mga adhikain na ito sa loob at labas ng Senado -- ang pagsugpo sa gutom; ang pagkakaroon ng sapat, ligtas, at epektibong bakuna; at ang pagpapalakas ng ekonomiya at kabuhayan ng bawat Pilipino," he ended.

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