The Sinovac vaccines procured by the government of Manila arrived in the country Thursday morning, June 24, as the city celebrates its 450th founding anniversary.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, together with Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and City Health Officer Dr. Arnolod Pangan, received the 400,000 doses of Sinovac at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Also present at the airport were National Task Force against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., and Health Secretary Francisco Duque.
"Thank you very much to Ambassador Huang dahil inentertain niya yung request namin (because he entertained our request). Then thank you very much kay (to) Sec. Duque at Sec. Galvez sapagkat madali lang nilang pinirmahan ang aming tripartite (because they signed our tripartite agreement right away)," Domagoso said.
Domagoso said the arrival of the vaccines is a "gift" for Manileños on the city's 450th founding anniversary.
The mayor said the city will aim to deploy all 400,000 doses of Sinovac in the "next two weeks."
The logistical transport of the vaccines from the airport was facilitated by the Manila Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO).
On June 15, Domagoso announced that Manila acquired 400,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine which he said would arrive in a “matter of few days.”
The Manila-purchased vaccines will be on top of the ones given by the national government, Domagoso said.
In January, 2021, the city of Manila also procured 800,000 doses of 800,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine which Domagoso said are expected to arrive in September.
Domagoso said AstraZeneca vaccines are expected to arrive in September, but he is praying that "they may come as early as July."