MANILA, Philippines — Japan will provide 1.96 million more doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines, its foreign minister said Friday.
Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu announced Japan’s pledge of additional doses of Japan-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccine.
The vaccine provision will be dispatched to Manila in several batches within October.
In July, Japan donated 1.12 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses to the country.
“Throughout the pandemic, Japan consistently finds ways to expand its contribution to the Philippines’ COVID-19 response measures in order to ease the plight of Filipino citizens and frontliners,” the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines said.
Aside from giving much-needed jabs, Tokyo has also provided emergency support loan, and grants for the procurement of medical equipment, the establishment of laboratory surveillance sites and the development of cold chain system.
More than 23.7 million Filipinos have completed vaccination against COVID-19 since March. Meanwhile, 27 million have received partial protection.