The country is already in talks with other vaccine developers worldwide regarding their candidate vaccines for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and not just with the Russian government, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday.

“What we have right now, we are discussing and exploring avenues. We already have about 16 na mga vaccine manufacturers na may mga different stages na tayo ng pakikipag usap and ito ay through our bilateral partners ,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during a media briefing.

Vergeire also said that the Philippines also joined the COVAX Facility. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the COVAX Facility is “designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for every country in the world.” The country will also participate in the WHO Solidarity Trials for Vaccines.

“Lahat ng pwede magkaroon ng ganitong pagkakataon na makasali tayo sa clinical trials nila ay ineexplore ngayon ng ating government ,” said Vergeire.

“We are not very specific na sa Russian vaccine lang. Tinitingnan at mina-mapa natin lahat na meron ngayon sa buong mundo na makaka-benefit sa ating mga kababayan ,” she added.

Vergeire also said that the Philippines is also in coordination with the US-based company Moderna for its candidate vaccine.

“Base doon sa mga pag-uusap at sa mga nakikita namin na reports, parang walang balak ang US na mag-clinical trials outside (of their country) pero meron sila balak magprovide ,” she said.

“Nagkaroon na ng pag uusap between countries, ang Philippines and US, na magprovide sila sa atin, magbebenta sila sa atin. Pero ang earliest pa ay second quarter of 2021. Iyon ang abangan natin when it comes to Moderna ,” she added.

Vergeire said that among the aims of the government is to conduct clinical trials in the country to prove the safety of the different candidate vaccines.

“Iyan yung direction ng national government of the Philippines na magkaroon din tayo ng localized trials dito sa atin nitong mga phase 3 clinical trials. Kailangan natin maintindihan na ang ibang vaccines gives different effects to different ethnic groups at iyan ay evidence-based, na yung effect ng bakuna na ito ay maaaring iba doon sa isang population, race, or ethnic group ,” she said.

“Tulad ng Moderna, hindi man nila gawin ang clinical trials sakali sa ibang bansa, pero tayo assured kasi yung Filipino-Americans ata isasali sa Phase 3 clinical trials nila doon. So makikita natin yung effect ng bakuna sa race natin. May ganyang details or technical intricacies ang mga bakuna. So mas papaboran natin kung magkakaroon tayo ng parallel na clinical trial here in the Philippines ,’ she added.

Vergeire assured that all vaccines for COVID-19 will undergo the strict regulatory process of the country.

“Lahat ng vaccine, whether Russian vaccine or any other vaccine in the market right now on Phase 3 na papasok sa ating bansa, it’ll go through the regular regulatory process of the government. Because it’s a clinical trial, dadaan yan sa FDA (Food and Drug Administration) ,” she said.

“Kailangan din iyan ma-vet ng ating vaccine expert panel under ng Department of Science and Technology at kailangan din dumaan sa ethics review board . So we will have our safeguards through our regulation,” she added.