As more companies are reporting the effectiveness of their vaccines against the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso ordered city government officials to craft an immunization plan for the city's residents.

Domagoso said the world is already at the "homestretch" of the COVID-19 crisis so they must plan on how to proceed with the vaccinations.

"Wala pang polisiya (There is still no policy) about it, but we, in the City of Manila, we are ready," he said in a directional meeting with city government officials on Monday.

To ensure the safety of the vaccine, the Manila mayor said he would ask to be vaccinated first.

"Kung ito isasaksak ko sa inyo, isasaksak ko muna sa akin (If I am going to administer this vaccine to you, I will administer it first on myself), with all honesty," he said.

"Magpapa-injection muna ako (I will get an injection first), so if there is something (that will) happen, I pay the price," he added. "Para mapanata natin ang mga taga-lungsod ng Maynila (So that we can ease the worries of the residents of the City of Manila)."

Domagoso said they must implement a "tagging" system, either through a wristband or identification card, to identify who among the residents have been vaccinated.

Earlier, the local chief executive met with Pfizer officials to reaffirm his readiness to buy an initial P250-million worth of vaccines after the pharmaceutical company announced that its vaccine showed a 90-percent effectivity rate against COVID-19.

The city government earmarked the said amount in July.

Domagoso expressed confidence that the government will purchase enough vaccines to trigger "herd immunization" in the country.

However, the Pfizer vaccine will have to secure the authorization of both American and Philippine officials before being released to the public.