Duterte approves advance payments to foreign COVID-19 vaccine developers
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation to advance supply agreements and make early payments to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine manufacturers, Malacañang said on Thursday. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte accepted the proposal of vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to enter advance market commitments with private foreign developers and provide advance payments to ensure the Philippines would secure vaccine doses once these were cleared for widespread use. “Medyo pumayag na tayo na magkaroon tayo ng advance payments, kasi pag hindi tayo pumayag baka mangulelat tayo doon sa mga bansa na makakakuha ng vaccine (We already agreed to advance payments for Covid-19 because if we don’t agree to it, we will be left out as other countries secure vaccines),” Roque said during a virtual press briefing. “Alam ko po nung una ay ayaw ng Presidente yan, pero nung nakita niya ang listahan ng mga bansang nag-a-advance payment. Eh hindi naman tayo magpapahuli basta m...