Japan bares P400-M grant for new vaccine cold chain equipment
Close to P400-million grant intended for the purchase of cold chain transport and equipment for vaccines will be provided by the Japanese government to the Philippines.

According to Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, the agreement between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Health (DOH) was held on Jan. 28.
It was to formalized the grant assistance of 885 million yen of Japan as part of its support to the country's recovery efforts from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The ambassador said the grant will provide cold chain transport and equipment throughout the Philippines.
It comprises more than 70 refrigerated and service truck units, 1,000 transport boxes for vaccines, ice pack freezers, thermometers, and other equipment to be deployed nationwide in partnership with the DOH.
Koshikawa said that despite the downtrend in cases in Metro Manila and nearby areas, various parts of the country continue to experience surges, primarily due to the Delta and Omicron variants.
"Therefore, the cold chain systems for vaccines are incredibly significant for guaranteeing vaccines' safe and efficient delivery to strategic areas across the country while retaining their efficacy. The recent rise of COVID-19 cases in various regions nationwide has made vaccines more urgent and imperative to reach all these areas," he said.
The Japanese envoy underscored that Japan's grant assistance would play a crucial role in delivering life-saving vaccines.
Koshikawa further assured that the Philippines is not alone in its fight against COVID-19, citing the Government of Japan’s firm resolve to collaborate with the country in this endeavor.
“The fight against the pandemic continues until it is subdued. No country can surpass this public health challenge alone, but with Japan by your side to face it together, we will all emerge stronger and better,” he concluded as expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the entire health workforce.
Japan has provided comprehensive support to the Philippines since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including over 3 million vaccine donations, grant aid for the procurement of medical equipment and establishment of laboratory surveillance sites, technical assistance for cold chain development, provision of Avigan tablets for COVID-19 treatment, as well as big-ticket yen loan assistance through the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan (CCRESL) and the Post-Disaster Standby Loan Phase 2 (PDSL 2).