BY MINKA TIANGCO
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso affirmed his readiness to buy P250-million worth of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines during a meeting with top Pfizer officials Tuesday night.
The meeting was held after Pfizer announced that initial late-stage clinical trials showed that its vaccine is 90 percent effective in protecting people from the deadly virus. However, safety data still needs to be established before it gets authorization.
“Muli nating ipinaalam sa kanila ang kahandaan ng Pamahalaang Panglunsod ng Maynila na bumili ng inisyal na P250 milyon na halaga ng bakuna mula sa kanila para sa mga taga-Maynila,” he said in a Facebook post.
“Kapit lang. Makakaraos din tayo sa krisis dulot ng pandemyang ito,” he added.
In July, Domagoso ordered the city government to earmark P200 million from its 2021 budget for the purchase of free COVID-19 vaccines for the city’s residents.
Philippine Amabassador to the United States Jose Manual Romualdez said Pfizer is ready to supply their vaccines to the country by early next year and after it gets regulatory approval from United States and Philippine authorities.
The pharmaceutical company might sell the vaccine for $5 or around P240 per shot. (Minka Tiangco)
