The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination of private employees will start in June as about 17 million AstraZeneca doses will start to arrive next month, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Secretary Joey Concepcion said on Tuesday, May 4.
Speaking during the Laging Handa public briefing, Concepcion noted 1.3 million of the UK-made vaccine will arrive in June. This will help some 100 companies that procured the AstraZeneca jabs for their employees, he said.
Among the private companies are the International Container Terminal Services Inc., SM Group of Companies, Ayala Group of Companies, and Lucio Tan’s companies, which includes the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Concepcion, Go Negosyo founder and one of President Duterte’s trusted advisers, added it also includes the Philippine Franchising Association and the Philippine Retailers Association.
These private companies have partnered with pharmaceutical companies, private hospitals, and logistics providers to store and deliver the doses to their vaccination sites.
“I think we have over 200 private sector companies that will do the vaccine implementation so lahat yan nakahanda na (everything is ready),” he stated.
Ayala Corporation, SM, San Miguel, and the Razon Group have built several vaccination sites for their employees. Concepcion assured that these facilities have the approval of the Department of Health (DOH).