A FIRST batch comprising 1.5 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines were handed over by the Dutch government to its Philippine counterpart on the evening of December 13—the largest single donation to be sent to the country.
The delivery is part of a donation of 7.5 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines by the Netherlands through COVAX. This is part of the joint solidarity effort of the European Union and its member-states to provide at least 100 million vaccines worldwide by the end of 2021 to countries in need, and will allow 7.5 million Filipinos to receive a single-dose vaccine.
The Embassy of the Netherlands disclosed that “J&J” vaccines are also easy to store and transport, making it possible to reach more people in far-flung areas.
Said country has committed to provide more than 22 million vaccines to other countries through the COVAX—the only global initiative working with governments and manufacturers to ensure vaccines versus the pandemic are available worldwide to both high- and lower-income countries. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization. The three entities work in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund as delivery partner, developed and developing countries’ vaccine manufacturers, the World Bank, and others.
The Netherlands has committed to provide 27 million doses through the facility. This is the same amount of vaccines used there, and is provided under the “take-one, give-one” principle. According to its ambassador Saskia de Lang: “This donation shows the importance…[my country attaches to helping others fight the pandemic]. The 7.5 million doses will allow the Philippines to strengthen its resilience, and save the lives of Filipinos.” She believes the donation is a testament to the two nations’ people-to-people interactions, as they celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. Three more shipments of J&J vaccines will arrive this week, ready to be deployed immediately to help Filipinos.
The following night, Spain delivered 453,600 doses of Moderna vaccines. Ambassador Jorge Moragas, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and National Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez were on hand to receive the shipment.
According to its embassy, the donation manifests Spain’s “unconditional support and promotion of fair, equitable and universal access to vaccines,” as well as its commitment to the health and well-being” of Filipinos.
Moragas said: “This donation—the only one Spain has made in Asia so far—is a demonstration of our special friendship with the Philippines.”
The embassy imparted that Spain is fully committed to multilateral efforts. Consequently, the donation, and more than 95 percent of total Spanish donations, have been made through the COVAX mechanism, which allocates vaccines based on objective criteria, and takes into account the epidemiological needs of the countries of destination.
This donation, it said, also is part also of the actions in the Philippines of “Team Europe,” comprised of European Union member-states.
Likewise, the Republic of Poland recently donated 547,100 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines as a show of solidarity with the Philippines in its fight against the pandemic, led by Charge d’Affaires Jarosław Szczepankiewicz, the Embassy of Poland’s Minister-Counselor Anna Krzak-Danel and Political/Economic Section Expert Jermaine Bohol, as well as AstraZeneca’s Head of Government Affairs Victor Sepulveda.
They were joined by the Health Department’s Bureau of International Health Cooperation Director Dr. Maria Soledad Antonio, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Jaime Victor Ledda, Vaccine Czar and National Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., as well as European Union Delegation to the Philippines’s First Counselor Rafael de Bustamante Tello.
Late in November, the Republic of Korea (ROK) provided 539,430 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. Aside from Galvez and Sepulveda, the arrival was also witnessed by Ambassador Kim In-chul, Embassy of Korea in Manila’s Consul General Lee Kyoo-ho and Second Secretary Gu Hwa-yeong, Deputy Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asia Pacific Maria Anna Lilia De Vera-Schinazi.
