Valenzuela, UK’s AstraZeneca to sign deal

MANILA, Philippines — The Valenzuela City government and AstraZeneca are set to sign this week an agreement for the United Kingdom-based manufacturer to supply COVID-19 vaccines, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.

The senator, himself a former Valenzuela mayor, said in a radio interview that he talked to his brother, Mayor Rex Gatchalian, who told him that the city government and AstraZeneca will “sign to supply the vaccine.”

Gatchalian said the vaccines are estimated to arrive by July or six months from now.

“It’s quite a long time yet but (it is for) 40 percent of the population of Valenzuela, more or less at 300,000. We are sure, I am comfortable that by July, we have a vaccine here in our country,” he said.

The Senate, constituting the Committee of the Whole, will conduct a hearing tomorrow to find out why the national government has yet to get COVID vaccines and its plans for the procurement, storage, distribution and disposal of the vaccines.

Gatchalian said he wants to find out what the national government has arranged for poor local government units with no funds to buy their own vaccines.

Caloocan in talks

In Caloocan, the city government is in talks with Janssen Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for the procurement  of COVID-19 vaccines.

Mayor Oscar Malapitan on Friday held a virtual meeting with representatives of the United States-based pharmaceutical company, which reportedly showed good results in its pre-clinical study.

A study presented by J&J showed its single-dose vaccine to be effective, according to the city government.

Caloocan has set aside P125 million for its free vaccination program for residents of the city.

Malapitan assured their negotiations with J&J and other and pharmaceutical companies will undergo procedures approved by the national government. – Emmanuel Tupas