Coronavirus vaccine: Duterte takes swipe at western suppliers, to prioritise China, Russia

The Philippine president is pinning his hopes on a Covid-19 vaccine to get his country ‘back to normal’, as South Korea plans to secure 30 million doses

Singapore Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said vaccines are not a ‘silver bullet’ and large parts of the world will not have immediate access

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said western pharmaceutical companies are focused on profit, in a warning to those seeking advance payment for a Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: AP

Published: 1:29pm, 15 Sep 2020Updated: 8:42pm, 25 Nov 2020

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed on Monday to prioritise buying a Covid-19 vaccine to be made available by Russia or China, taking a swipe at western pharmaceutical firms asking for advance payment for their offers. South Korea meanwhile said it will secure early supply of vaccines from international manufacturers for 30 million people.

Duterte expressed optimism that the Southeast Asian country, which has recorded the region’s highest number of coronavirus cases at nearly 266,000, would be “back to normal” by December, pinning his hopes on the availability of vaccines.

“We will give preference to Russia and China provided that their vaccine is as good as any other in the market,” he said in a late-night televised address. He added that any vaccine purchase will have to undergo a bidding process.

The Philippine government has had talks with a number of potential vaccine suppliers, including Russia, China, and manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna. It also planned to hold talks with Australian biotech giant CSL. Moscow and Manila meanwhile have agreed to work on clinical trials for Russia’s vaccine.

Duterte singled out China, which he said was unlike other countries seeking a “reservation fee” or advance payment. “The one good thing about China is you do not have to beg, you do not have to plead,” he said. “One thing wrong about the western countries, it’s all profit, profit, profit.”

Duterte did not name any pharmaceutical companies seeking advance payment, but he warned their representatives in Manila to go home or “I’ll kick your arse”.

He said the Philippines’ procurement law prohibits the government from buying anything that is non-existent or has yet to be produced.