China to donate 400,000 more COVID-19 vaccine doses – Duterte

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 4) — China will donate 400,000 more doses of anti-coronavirus vaccines, President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Thursday.

However, Duterte did not mention which brand of vaccine China will donate.

"China will give us another 400,[000], making their donation to this country one million,” he said during the inauguration two new school buildings in Valenzuela City.

The Philippines received last Sunday 600,000 doses of Chinese manufacturer Sinovac’s CoronaVac, which is the first to be rolled out in the country.

Duterte has always been vocal over his preference for China-made COVID-19 vaccines, saying they are as good as those produced by American and European pharmaceuticals.

"Others might prefer other vaccine brands. The doctors are very discriminating, they are waiting for Pfizer. Ang akin is Sinopharm, China (I prefer Sinopharm from China). Hindi ako masyado sa mga produkto ng puti (I’m not fond of the products of Westerners)," the President reiterated.

The country is set to receive today more than 480,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from British-Swedish drug firm AstraZeneca, under the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility.

Malacañang earlier said Duterte is awaiting Emergency Use Authorization for China state-owned Sinopharm.