Magdo-donate ang Japan ng 687 million yen o katumbas ng P300 milyon para sa COVID-19 vaccine cold chain supply sa Pilipinas.
Araw ng Martes, July 6, 2021, pinirmahan nina Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. at Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko ang kasunduan para sa implementasyon ng COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support mula sa Japanese government.
Gagamitin aniya ang donasyon para sa probisyon ng cold chain transport at ancillaries.
“With the distribution of vaccines to the provinces a top priority of the Philippine Government, the cold chain facility system will boost efforts in the nation’s vaccination program,” ayon sa Japanese Embassy sa Manila.
Dagdag nito, “This will not only ensure safe and efficient vaccines delivery but also preserving the integrity and quality of vaccines. This initiative comes in the heels of Japan’s donation of one million AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in Japan.”
Sinabi rin ng embahada na ang naturang donasyon ay bahagi ng 1-billion yen cold chain development assistance ng Japan sa Pilipinas na nabanggit ni Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa Japan Philippines Summit Telephone Talk noong Mayo.
Simula ng magkaroon ng pandemya, sinabi ng embahada na patuloy ang kanilang suporta sa Pilipinas kabilang ang grant aid para sa pagbili ng medical equipment at establishment ng laboratory surveillance sites, technical assistance para sa cold chain development, Avigan tablets para sa COVID-19 treatment, at iba pa.
“As has been before and until now, Japan remains committed to provide a steady stream of support to the Philippines’ goal of herd immunity,” saad pa ng embahada.