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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte accuses EU of holding AstraZeneca vaccines hostage

Duterte accuses EU of holding AstraZeneca vaccines hostage

Published Feb 1, 2021 11:07 pm

President Duterte has accused the European Union (EU) of holding AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines hostage, as he expressed regret that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) did not have the same clout like the EU.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on  February 1, 2021. ALBERTO ALCAIN/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Duterte made the statement following reports that the EU introduced a new mechanism that would allow its member-countries to monitor and block exports of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines amid a row with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant over vaccine deliveries.

In his weekly public address aired on Monday, the President asked the public to trust the government that it was doing its best to secure vaccines.

"Nabubuhay pa naman tayo (We are still able to live), let us just hope for the best. The problem is the bakuna (vaccine)," he said.

"For all of the brouhaha --Saan (Where is it)? Eh, yung AstraZeneca hinostage ng European Union (Even the EU took the AstraZeneca vaccines as hostage)," he added.

President Duterte, in response to this development, expressed hope that ASEAN could become as powerful as the EU someday.

"Sana itong , one day, maybe one day, magkakaroon din tayo ng panahon to shine (I hope ASEAN, one day, we will have our time to shine)," he said.

"Our time will shine someday. Yung (The) ASEAN, it is not that powerful to have a clout sa mga ganitong ginagawa ngayon. Wala nga, eh. Walang supply. (over things like this. We have no vaccines. We have no supply)," he added.

The European Commission launched a new mechanism last week that allowed countries to halt COVID-19 exports.

The EU has voiced concerns that vaccine doses could be sent overseas before companies can even fulfill their obligation in the region.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday that the Philippines is set to receive 5,500,800 to 9,290,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines through the COVAX Facility within the first half of the year.

IiThe COVAX Facility, which the Philippines joined, is a mechanism led by the World Health Organization (WHO) that is designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. 

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