2 million COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in PH, says Andanar

By Jan Albert K. Araña

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Feb. 5 (PIA) – “Starting third week of February vaccines will be arriving in the country.”

This was the statement made by the Presidential Communication Operation Office (PCOO) and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS)-X Secretary Martin Andanar during a breakfast press briefing here.

Andanar shared that 2 million doses of COVID vaccines are expected to arrive in the country this on the “third week of the month.”

The arrival of the vaccines will jump start the vaccination roll-out plan of the government and the first sets of the vaccines will be given to the frontliners.

Though COVID-19 vaccines are coming, reports have it that around 40 percent of Filipino are not willing to be vaccinated due to the Dengvaxia vaccine issue.

To assure the public of the safety of COVID vaccines, the PCOO and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) would be conducting a nationwide “Pagdu-aw Program,” which aims is to explain the vaccination rollout plan of the government and its safety.

As the CORDS for region 10, Andanar will meet with the Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Adriano Suba-an and DOH officials to discuss the vaccination rollout plan in the region.

“It is important that Region 10 will get its share from the upcoming 2 million vials,” he said.

The secretary has clarified that the vaccines will be given for free to all the Filipinos. However, there are local government units that are  are willing to spend their own funds to procure the said vaccines.    

“The vaccines are almost here, let us just wait for them. We will give you specific details with the DOH to keep you abreast of,” Andanar said. (JAKAraña/PIA10)