Philippines to avail of cheapest COVID-19 vaccine – Duterte

September 8, 2020

The Philippine government will avail of coronavirus vaccine from sources, which can immediately develop it and offer the lowest price, President Rodrigo Duterte said.

Duterte said all the vaccines being developed now in various countries could have the same effect against the virus.

"I think it's Moderna. It's a US company. I think they are ready by September...Sinovac (from) China is also ready. They are all the same. Same germs," he said in a televised message on Monday night.

"Whoever can provide us a cheap (vaccine), we will get it from them because they know that we do not have enough money. If it's a bit expensive, we will go for the less expensive ones. It does not mean that (vaccine) from America is better or the one from China is inferior or (vaccine) in Russia is good, while the products of other nations are not that good," he said.

Duterte also cited the high number of COVID-19 recoveries as he noted that it appears only few people from slum areas got infected.

"Maybe because of the climate or the constitution of the body itself...we, Filipinos, we have more antibodies," he said.

"Don't get insulted because it's true, but I did not see anyone from the squatter area who was infected (by coronavirus). Even in Davao, when I asked, there were no children (who got the virus)," he added.

As of September 7, the total COVID-19 recoveries were 184,906 out of 238,727 total cases. Celerina Monte/DMS