US Announces USD5-M Boost to PHL Vax Program

The United States pledged additional funds for the vaccination program against COVID-19 in the Philippines, according to the US Embassy in Manila.

This comes as the US, in an announcement made by Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff during an activity in Caloocan City, said that the Philippines will be granted an additional USD5 million, funded through the American Rescue Plan, “to accelerate vaccine rollout in the Philippines.”

The funding will be done through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will hand out additional assistance in support of the COVID-19 vaccination for minors and adults.

This is in line with the Philippines’ continued effort to intensify and strengthen COVID-19 immunity in the country.

The US has already granted the Philippines USD46 million throughout the pandemic in support of the country’s vaccination program, on top of the 33.6 million COVID-19 vaccines the US had provided the Philippines with.

The US Embassy in Manila said that the aid has strengthened the Philippines’ fight against COVID-19 and helped in the country’s economic recovery as well.

“Through USAID, the United States has trained health care workers, strengthened the vaccine supply chain, supported effective communications campaigns, deployed mobile vaccination clinics, and bolstered economic recovery efforts in the Philippines,” the US Embassy in Manila said.

According to Executive Order (EO) No. 3 of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed on September 12, 93 percent of the target population in the Philippines, or 72 million individuals, are already fully vaccinated while 18 million individuals, or 23 percent of the target population, have received COVID-19 booster doses as of September 6, 2022. (GFB)