The Philippine government has secured almost P400 million in grant assistance from the Japanese government to support its Covid-19 recovery efforts, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Jica said the 885 million yen worth grant would be to the Department of Health (DOH) to enable the agency to provide cold-chain transport and equipment throughout the Philippines.
The grant aid 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 DOH.
“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,” Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko said.
Jica said the cold-chain systems for vaccines are incredibly significant to guarantee the vaccines’ safety and efficient delivery to strategic areas across the country while retaining their efficacy.
The recent rise in Covid-19 cases in various regions nationwide has made vaccines more urgent and imperative to reach all these areas. Given this, the envoy stressed that Japan’s grant assistance would play a crucial role in delivering life-saving vaccines, significantly contributing to our joint battle against the pandemic.
Japan has provided comprehensive support to the Philippines since the Covid-19 pandemic began. This support includes over 3 million vaccine donations, grant aid for the procurement of medical equipment and establishment of laboratory surveillance sites.
The Japanese government has also provided 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).