MANILA – The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not that scary anymore, according to President Rodrigo Duterte, noting that a potential vaccine being developed in the United States shows positive light.
During Tuesday’s public address, President Duterte said he is confident that the Philippines can procure the vaccine soon after Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez III announced that the government can borrow $300 million to fund the purchase.
“Nandito na ang bakuna. It’s being solved,” Duterte said. “Sonny says he can borrow money, $300 million. Malaki ‘yan. So makapabili tayo. But I think it would do us well to realize that unahin talaga nila mga tao nila.”
“Hindi na talaga nakakatakot ang COVID. But sa ngayon, magbili ka mahal. But as I have promised, gastos ng gobyerno itong bakuna para sa lahat ng Pilipino. Kaya umpisahan natin sa mga mahirap,” he added.
Pfizer and German partner BioNTech SE were the first to release successful data from a large-scale clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine. The firms said they have found no serious safety concerns so far and expect to seek US authorization this November for emergency use of the vaccine./PN
