The Manila city government received two cold chain equipment for vaccines from the Japanese government on Monday, Nov. 15.
Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan led the turnover ceremony at the Manila City Hall.
The equipment was given through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Lacuna said the refrigerators will strengthen the mitigation efforts of the city government against COVID-19.
"This will further strengthen our storage capability and effectiveness in handling the vaccines against COVID-19," Lacuna said.
"Rest assured that we will continue to roll out our vaccines as we are now serving the 12-17 years old age bracket," she added.
Present at the handover ceremony were Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko and officials from the UNICEF.
Lacuna also expressed her gratitude to the Japanese community and UNICEF Philippines for extending help amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We, in the City of Manila, under the dynamic stewardship of our local chief executive, Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso, would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the government of Japan through UNICEF Philippines for the cold chain equipment that you are giving us for the vaccines," she said.