PH cities, private companies, sign deals to buy COVID-19 vaccine
Various local government units (LGUs) across the Philippines are taking matters into their own hands by signing deals with British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for their respective constituents.
Majority of cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) have already secured doses of the UK-based vaccine, namely: Las Piñas; Mandaluyong; Makati; Manila; Muntinlupa; Navotas; Caloocan; Pasig; Quezon City; San Juan; Taguig; and Valenzuela.
Other economic zones and outsourcing destinations outside Metro Manila, like Iloilo, Bacolod, Ormoc, Davao, Antipolo, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Dagupan, Oroquieta, and Zamboanga City have signed deals.
Private companies are also eyeing AstraZeneca. According to Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, over 200 Philippine companies are set to sign a tripartite deal with the British drugmaker and the national government.
The deal involves at least three million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, half of which will be donated to the national government while the other half will be used for the companies’ employees,
