Aboitiz Group pledges anew for additional vaccine donations
The Aboitiz Group has pledged additional doses of vaccine donations to the government as part of Wave 2 of ‘A Dose of Hope’, a tripartite initiative among the private sector, the government, and British drugmaker AstraZeneca, in support of the National Immunization Program.
The company joined more than 300 private companies and nearly 40 local government units (LGUs) in a virtual signing ceremony last January 14 led by Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez, Jr., Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey A. Concepcion, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines, Inc. president Lotis Ramin, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, and British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce.
“We are thankful to the Aboitiz Group for continuously supporting the government’s immunization initiatives. You have been there from day one, ensuring that our fellow Filipinos get the much needed help in this time of crisis. This is a strong manifestation of leadership that goes beyond profits. Thank you for putting our kababayans first,” said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr.
The program’s Wave 2 would bring more than three million additional doses on top of the 2.6 million doses signed for ‘Wave 1’ last November 2020. The tripartite initiative aims to help realize the collective goal of inoculating nearly 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.
Aboitiz was among the first 30 private companies to sign the deal with the national government and AztraZeneca during Wave 1.
“The Aboitiz Group stands behind this national collaborative effort to protect Filipinos from Covid-19 while ensuring that we keep our economy running. We will continue to respond where our help is needed as our country moves forward to a better normal,” said Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz.
Galvez said the private sector’s and LGUs’ role is very crucial in the National Immunization Program as they can help identify, validate, and respond to the needs of priority beneficiaries based on geographical and sectoral strategy.
“We believe that the implementation of our National Vaccine Program will not only be less daunting, but also more efficient and strategic because of the invaluable contribution of the LGUs,” he noted.
Meantime, Concepcion said the tripartite agreement allows for a fair and equitable distribution of the soon-to-be available vaccines as the private sector donates to the government half of total number of vaccines to be procured and the remaining half goes to its own employees, which is important in aiding the gradual opening of the economy.
“The Philippines definitely will not be left behind in this fight. We will be vaccinating our Filipino people, hopefully starting June, July. Seventeen million vaccines will be signed today, procured, and this is a commitment that they will all be delivered in the year 2021,” the GoNegosyo founder shared.
AstraZeneca has a zero-profit program in 2021, which means the vaccines are priced as low as possible. The vaccine is expected to cost around P500 ($10) for two doses.
“We are working closely with regulatory authorities to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine lives up to the highest safety standards and its introduction complies with healthcare regulations in the Philippines. We’re working with Philippine FDA on the preparations for a swift yet thorough science-led Emergency Use Authorization review,” Ramin said.
British Ambassador Pruce said the tripartite initiative aligns with the United Kingdom’s aim of ensuring equitable access to “safe, effective, and affordable vaccines. “Today marks an important milestone towards achieving that here in the Philippines, he said.
To date, the Aboitiz Group’s total contribution to the national COVID-19 response effort has reached over P2.2 billion (excluding various payments waived, reduced, extended, or restructured to help customers cope with the impact of COVID-19), underscoring the group’s sustained campaign to help address the urgent needs of frontliners and affected communities nationwide. #
