It will only take around 30 minutes for customs personnel to facilitate the entry of imported vaccine supplies in the country, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday.

In a meeting with President Duterte and other officials, Galvez reported that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has established a "one-stop shop” to process the release of the vaccine shipment upon arrival in the country. 

The imported vaccines will be inspected quickly while they are inside the aircraft, according to Galvez.

"We had an initial coordination with the different agencies kaya po sir nakita po natin from arrival. Iyong Customs, sir, talagang ano, mayroon silang one-stop shop. (Finance) Secretary (Carlos) Dominguez already directed Commissioner Jagger (Guerrero) Custom Commissioner, na talagang mabilis po ‘yung ano --- ang pinakaano natin sir is not more than 30 minutes kasi po talaga lang i-inspect ang ano po para kung ilan ‘yung bag --- ang ano po na nandoon (We had an initial coordination with the different agencies. We've seen the process from arrival. Customs has set up one-stop shop.

Secretary Dominguez already directed Customs commissioner Jagger to ensure the inspection is not more than 30 minutes, just to check how many have arrived)," he said during his remarks aired on state television Monday, Feb. 8.

"But definitely po hindi na po bababa ‘yon sa ano sa aircraft. From aircraft, dadalhin na po kaagad doon sa ano sir sa naghihintay na --- na tinatawag nating truck (But definitely, they won't be unloaded from the aircraft during inspection. From aircraft, it will be brought straight to the truck),"  Galvez gave a rundown of the government's vaccination program, from the arrival of the imported drugs, cold storage, to their delivery to the designated vaccination sites, during the meeting with the President.  

A government simulation of the delivery of the vaccines is scheduled Tuesday to prevent any delay and wastage of the medical supply, he said.

"Talagang ira-run through po namin para makita po namin in actual. And then kung may mga defects, aayusin namin sir lahat ng mga defects (We will make a run through so we can rectify if there are defects)," he said.

The country is expected to receive the initial batch of coronavirus vaccines this month through the COVAX facility, a global scheme to ensure equal access to the vaccine. 

"As we follow ‘yung ano sir ‘yung guidance of the President to have a safe, sure and secure vaccine, ito sir ngayon sir ‘yung vaccine na darating sir ngayong February ‘yung 117 na Pfizer, we will make sure na ito sir talagang walang mawe-wastage (With the arrival of the117,000 Pfizer vaccines this February, we will make sure sir there will be no wastage)," he said.

'Special lanes' for vaccine delivery 

Once the coronavirus vaccines get customs clearance, the supply will be brought to the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City, one of the country's cold storage facilities. 

Special road lanes will be established for the swift transport of the vaccine supply while police personnel will serve as mobile escorts.

"We already coordinated with DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) and Chief PNP (Philippine National Police) na talagang mayroon pong ano mayroon pong escort, mobile escort (to get mobile escorts)," Galvez said.

"At gagawa po tayo ng tinatawag nating special lane para at least pagpunta po sa RITM, minimal lang po ‘yung ano, very minimal po ‘yung time (We will create special lanes going to RITM so there will be minimal time in transport)," he said.

When the vaccines reach the RITM storage facility, authorities will conduct an inspection of the supply.

"And then, doon na po i-inspect-in ‘yung ano ‘yung ano sa ano sa mismo sa storage facility. So that ‘yung ano po, ‘yung stability po ng ano --- ‘yung stability po ng mga vaccine will be maintained (It will be inspected at the storage facility so that the stability of the vaccine will be maintained)," he said.

When the President asked about the cold temperature of vaccine storage, Galvez said these facilities are extremely cold suitable for the supplies.

The retired military general admitted that he felt stomach pain the he inspected the cold storage facility just for a few minutes.

When Duterte asked if a person will freeze inside the facility, Galvez replied: "Negative ano, sir."

"Actually, sir, nagkaroon po ako ng ano, ng sakit ng tiyan afterwards kasi talagang napakalamig po, sir. It will take you ano sir eh, mga few ano lang eh, few seconds kasi ‘yung refrigerator, sir, nakita po natin ‘yung refrigerator, talagang malamig po, sir, -70, -80."

From the RITM warehouse, the vaccine supply will be brought to designated hospitals and health facilities for the rollout. Among these government hospitals are Vicente Sotto Memorial Center in Cebu City and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

Public school buildings could serve as vaccination sites if there won’t be enough venues, according to the President. 

Police and military camps will also be used as vaccination centers.

The country's frontliners in the medical sector will be the first in line for the government’s free inoculations. 

Next on the list will be senior citizens, frontline essential personnel such as uniformed forces, poor citizens, teachers and social workers, overseas Filipino workers, other workers, and the rest of the Filipino population.