The European Union (EU) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring equitable access to vaccines, tests, and treatments following the arrival of the first 487,200 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in Manila, Thursday night.

“Team Europe is proud to contribute to the COVAX facility to help provide for affordable and fair access to vaccines for Filipinos”, EU Ambassador Luc Véron said in a statement. President Duterte, along with top government officials and foreign dignitaries, welcomed the arrival of the plane carrying the 487,200 vaccine doses from the COVAX facility at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) past 7 p.m. on Thursday.

The first batch of the vaccines, as well as the 40 million more doses to come, are part of the World Health Organization (WHO)-led COVAX facility allocation to which Team Europe is the biggest contributor. Véron said the Philippines will receive vaccines for 22 million Filipinos under the COVAX facility, aiming to inoculate 20 percent of the population and put an end to the acute phase of the crisis.

To date, the EU has provided P130 billion (€ 2.2 billion) to help 92 low and middle-income countries, including the Philippines, to help gain access to COVID-19 vaccines. “The EU has both a responsibility and interest to make vaccines available to all”.

“The European Union has maintained its goal to work in solidarity for vaccine cooperation and multilateralism – none is safe until everyone is safe,” the EU’s top diplomat in Manila stressed.

The first batch of vaccines delivered to Manila is produced by the British-Swedish company Astra Zeneca. At the onset of the pandemic, the EU has invested billions not only into vaccine research but also diagnostics, treatment, epidemiology, protective equipment, as well as modernization of health systems. It was the main contributor behind the development of the first safe and successful vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, making it the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the EU.