Senator Grace Poe on Monday, April 19, urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to be "relentless" in its negotiations with other countries to fill up the Philippines' vaccine supply.

In a statement, Poe said she expects the DFA to closely work with vaccine czar and National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. in the procurement of vaccines against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

She said the DFA should take the opportunity to talk to the Philippines' allies and appeal for "solidarity, compassion and cooperation" amid the lack in coronavirus vaccines.

"We count on the Department of Foreign Affairs to work side-by-side with the vaccine czar in embarking on a diplomatic offensive that would clearly relay our appeal to foreign nations for our rightful share of the lifesaving doses, being among the countries bearing the brunt of the killer disease," Poe said.

"We must be relentless in our pursuit of the vaccines, no matter the challenges along the way," she stressed.

No less than the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concern over the inequity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines between rich and developing countries who were depending on its COVAX facility for supplies. WHO director-general Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last month that the gap is "becoming more grotesque every day".

In the Philippines, vaccine doses from the COVAX that were supposed to be delivered in late March or early April were delayed due to "global logistics constraints", Galvez had said.

Because of the unavailability of vaccines, President Duterte warned of more COVID-19-related deaths in the country.

"The inequity in distribution and vaccination will not do the world good as the pandemic may continue to infect and delay a global economic recovery," Poe also said.