Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Romualdez said the government is already in talks with different pharmaceutical companies and drug laboratories regarding the procurement of a vaccine against COVID-19.
To this end, Romualdez said they already initiated talks with Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and Moderna.
“We are lining up once it’s available for export. At least we are already there," Romualdez said on Tuesday during a Laging Handa briefing.
“They'll mass produce this and try to produce as many as possible because this is a full cooperation of all countries bonding together,” he added.
Last June, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper reportedly promised his Filipino counterpart, Delfin Lorenzana, of Washington’s willingness to share their vaccine once available.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila assured that China will give priority to the Philippines once its own COVID-19 vaccine is ready.
“When the COVID-19 vaccine is developed and put into use, China will give priority to providing it to the Philippines, as a global public good,” Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian said in a statement.