ni Fely Ng - @Bulgarific | July 18, 2021
Hello, Bulgarians! Kamakailan sinalubong nina Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship at Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion, National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF COVID-19) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, at AstraZeneca Country President Lotis Ramin ang unang batch ng bakuna kontra COVID-19 mula sa pampribadong sektor, galing sa biopharmaceutical company na AstraZeneca, na aabot sa kabuuang 1,150,800 bilang ng mga bakuna.
Ang pagbili ng mga nasabing bakuna kontra COVID-19 ay bunsod ng tripartite deal sa pagitan ng mga negosyante, pamahalaan at AstraZeneca, na layong mas paigtingin ang pagbabakuna sa ating bansa. Kasama rin sina “A Dose of Hope” Program Lead Josephine Romero at Zuellig Pharma Chief Business Officer Jannette Jakosalem sa nasabing pagsalubong ng bakuna.
Iginiit naman ni Concepcion ang kahalagahan ng patuloy na pagdating ng supply ng mga bakuna kontra COVID-19 upang paigtingin ang pagtuturok ng mga bakuna sa ating bansa. Aniya, mahalaga ang papel ng pampribadong sektor sa nagkakaisang hakbangin ng Pilipinas upang masugpo ang pandemya.
“The product of the first-ever tripartite agreement on vaccine procurement in the world is now in our hands. We have put this forward when everything seems unreachable and during a time when most of the countries in the world have not secured a position on vaccines. An initiative from the private sector that was greatly supported by the government, these initial doses from the first batch are just the beginning of millions of more doses of hope to come. We like to thank AstraZeneca, the national government, and all our private sector partners for making all of these possible. As we gear towards population protection and herd immunity in NCR Plus, these vaccines will get us there faster which will make our economic recovery quicker—saving more lives and livelihoods in the process,” ani Concepcion.
Pinuri naman ni Secretary Galvez ang pampribadong sektor sa pagtugon sa panawagan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte na magkaisa ang buong bansa nang sa wakas ay masugpo na natin itong pandemyang nararanasan. “This strong bayanihan spirit of Filipinos is not only a ‘Dose of Hope’ but a pound of inspiration that will help us realize our collective goal of inoculating millions of Filipinos this year. This will help us further expand the coverage of our vaccination program. The first tripartite agreement is anchored on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's directive of providing safe and effective vaccines for all Filipinos,” dagdag niya.
Tiniyak ni Lotis Ramin, Country President ng AstraZeneca Philippines, ang pangako ng kanilang kompanya na mas mapagtibay pa ang kanilang ugnayan sa pamahalaan at pampribadong sektor upang maihatid sa mga Pinoy ang mga bakuna nila.
Saad nito, “AstraZeneca's commitment to the world is to develop a new COVID-19 vaccine at scale in record time and at no profit during the pandemic. This commitment brought the Philippine government, local government units, and private sector to come together to ensure Filipinos have access to vaccines and no one is left behind. We are grateful for this remarkable cooperation resulting in this significant milestone. Indeed, when we unite, we are much stronger.”
Sa kabilang banda, ipinaliwanag ni “A Dose of Hope” Program Lead Josephine Romero na ang kahanga-hangang katangian ng mga Pilipino, ang “Bayanihan” ay nagbibigay-lakas sa bansa upang talunin ang pandemya.
“These AstraZeneca doses are testament of the “Bayanihan” spirit that is much evident amongst us Filipinos. Through the partnership of both the private and the public sector, we have obtained these vaccines that would ramp up further our current vaccination program. These doses of hope will hasten our country’s road toward vaccinating its people and opening further the economy,” sabi ni Romero.
Ibinahagi rin ni Concepcion na mas paparaming bakuna galing AstraZeneca ang inaasahang dumating sa susunod na buwan, kung saan ang pagdating ng 17 milyong bakuna mula sa kanila ay makukumpleto sa unang apat na buwan ng 2022. “These vaccines for employees have arrived. The private sector is playing a big role in trying to achieve population protection, which targets 50 percent of NCR Plus, but definitely, we are looking forward to achieving herd immunity by the end of the year,” dagdag nito.
Ang inisyatibong ito mula sa programang “A Dose of Hope” ni Concepcion ay inaasahang magiging kabalikat ng kaniyang panukalang makapagkamit na tayo ng “micro-herd immunity” sa pamamagitan ng pagbabakuna sa mga manggagawa sa mga iba’t ibang gusali sa lalong madaling panahon, upang madali na rin nating makamit ang pinapangarap na ‘herd immunity’ sa bansa.
“My appeal to our Filipino citizens: we cannot win the war; we bought the vaccines, but if you do not take the vaccines, then we will not be able to succeed in beating COVID-19. It is your obligation to take the vaccines so you can protect yourself and others,” paalala ni Concepcion.
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