Over 200 companies joined the private sector initiative to buy more doses of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine from AstraZeneca.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion 3rd said AstraZeneca has approved the second batch of orders of vaccine doses from Philippine firms.
Concepcion said Ayala Corp. ordered 400,000 doses; Palawan Pawnshop, 100,000; Okada Manila, 40,000; Uratex Philippines, 21,000; Century Pacific Food, 20,000; Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc., 20,000; Golden Arches Development Corp., 15,000; and Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc., 10,000.
Last week, he announced that AstraZeneca approved the request of the private sector for more doses to be donated to the government and the private sector.
He said donations from the private sector could go past 3 million doses from the 2.6 million in the initial deal with the pharmaceutical firm signed last November.
Concepcion said meetings with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Entrepreneurs Organization, Philippine Franchise Association and Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. followed.
“The number of calls and inquiries from the private sector were increasing, although we expected it somehow. We were happy that more and more private sector partners are now taking their part in this initiative — ending the war against Covid-19,” he said.
“This only means that the business community is very serious in ensuring that our economy will remain open while slowly ending this war,” he added.
With small and medium enterprises severely impacted by the pandemic, Concepcion said he sees the private sector initiative as one step towards helping the distressed firms bounce back.
“The more businesses involved in this project, the faster the ecosystem will be revived, thus, stimulating exchange. It is one answer to the question of how we get money flowing again — it will stop the bleeding,” he said.
Concepcion encouraged more business entities to take part in boosting the Philippines’ vaccine stockpile.
“They’re (government) taking care of the public sector, kami naman sa private sector — teamwork kami. So, if we’re able to execute, mas madaling sagpuin itong pandemya (They’re taking care of the public sector, we are taking care of the private sector — it’s teamwork. So if we’re able to execute, it will be easier to win the war against the pandemic),” he said.
“If the private sector will not help, the economy will remain restricted,” Concepcion said.
“Many business organizations are wanting to be in the second part, and this could be the last. This is the only way to accelerate our economic recovery and save lives,” he said.
Last November, the private sector signed a deal with the government and AstraZeneca for 2.6 million doses worth around P700 million to inoculate about 1.5 million Filipinos.
The vaccine supply, to be paid fully by private firms, is expected to arrive around the second quarter of 2021.