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Duterte allows private sector to buy own COVID-19 vaccines

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the members of the private sector can now buy COVID-19 vaccines on their own, amid an alarming spike in coronavirus infections in the country.</p><p>Duterte announced in a public briefing that he has ordered vaccine czar and National COVID-19 Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. to &quot;sign any and all documents that would allow the private sector to import at will&quot; COVID-19 vaccines.</p><p>&quot;Maski magkano, ilan ang gusto nila ipasok, okay sa&#x27;kin,&quot; he said. </p><p>Businessmen have been clamoring to buy their own COVID-19 vaccines for their workers, Duterte noted, adding this would help the economy reopen.</p><p>Galvez earlier said the private sector and local government units can only purchase COVID-19 vaccines through a tripartite agreement with the national government so that coronavirus shots won&#x27;t be &quot;commercialized&quot;. Private companies, along with the national government, signed deals with drugmakers AstraZeneca and Moderna for at least 37 million coronavirus jabs.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/23/21/lgus-private-sector-should-only-buy-covid-19-vaccines-under-tripartite-agreement-with-natl-govt-galvez">LGUs, private sector should only buy COVID-19 vaccines under tripartite agreement with nat&#x27;l gov&#x27;t: Galvez</a></li></ul><p>Duterte&#x27;s move to allow importation of COVID-19 vaccines by the private sector came on the same day Metro Manila and nearby provinces were placed again under a tough lockdown, which is supposed to end on April 4, as infections in the country also reached another all-time high.</p><p>The Philippines&#x27; largest business group earlier warned the country is in a &quot;far worse&quot; situation than it was when it went on lockdown last August, urging government to allow private firms to assist in COVID-19 tracing and vaccination efforts so resorting to lockdowns won&#x27;t be an option again.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/29/21/lockdown-is-not-the-answer-pcci-says-philippines-in-far-worse-situation-than-last-year">&#x27;Lockdown is not the answer&#x27;: PCCI says Philippines in &#x27;far worse&#x27; situation than last year</a></li></ul><p>Earlier Monday, the Philippines on Monday another 1 million COVID-19 shots from Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech, its first batch of procured coronavirus vaccine. The delivery raises the country&#x27;s total stockpile of COVID-19 vaccines to a little over 2.5 million doses, more than 650,000 of which have already been administered.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/philippines-receives-purchased-1-million-sinovac-covid-19-shots">Philippines receives purchased 1 million Sinovac COVID-19 shots</a></li></ul><p>As of Monday, the Philippines has confirmed 731,894 COVID-19 cases, nearly 14 months after confirming its first case. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/29/21/highest-ever-philippines-logs-10016-new-covid-19-cases">HIGHEST EVER: Philippines logs 10,016 new COVID-19 cases</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1649996" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the members of the private sector can now buy COVID-19 vaccines on their own, amid an alarming spike in coronavirus infections in the country.</p>

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the members of the private sector can now buy COVID-19 vaccines on their own, amid an alarming spike in coronavirus infections in the country.