Malacañang said Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic could be over soon after vaccine developers expressed interest in facilitating clinical trials in the country.
“Good news: it seems that the pandemic is about to end,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in Filipino.
“According to the Department of Science and Technology, there are three players that submitted requirements to the Food and Drug Administration indicating their interest in conducting clinical trials in the Philippines,” he added.
Gamaleya Research Institute of Russia, Janssen of Belgium, and China’s Sinovac have expressed interest in conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials in the Philippines, Roque said.
He added that the China National Biotech Group is now in the final stage of its clinical trial and that many Chinese citizens have been the vaccine.
The Department of Health earlier said the Philippines needs P12.9 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccines to fight the pandemic.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje revealed the figures during the DOH’s 2021 budget briefing before the House appropriations committee. She added that the department had allocated only P2.5 billion to purchase vaccines for the “most at risk” population, including medical frontliners, barangay health workers, and indigent senior citizens.
Palace: Pandemic is about to end
Cabotaje said that the government would acquire Landbank loans to cover the remaining amount needed for the COVID-19 vaccines.
“We need P12.9 billion po, pero P2.5 billion po muna ang in-allocate namin kasi po ang scheme, puwede hong loan sa Landbank para ma-cover ‘yung remaining budget requirement,” the Health official said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the Philippines would go for the cheapest COVID-19 vaccine available in the market given the country’s lack of funds, adding all vaccines carry the same effect.
“It’s there. I think it’s Moderna, it is a US company, I think they are ready by September. . . . Sinovac, China is also ready,” he said in a taped address.
“Kung sino magbigay ng mura dun tayo pupunta [we will go for whatever is the cheapest]. We know we don’t have much money, kung mahal masyado, we will go for the less expensive ones,” Duterte added.
The Bayanihan 2 allocated a P10 billion standby fund for the purchase and testing of COVID-19 vaccines.