Concepcion warns of expiring vaccine doses

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion warned that approximately 27 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are set to expire in July.

He lamented that the country has received 237 million vaccine doses but only 142.236 million have been administered as of March 30.

Concepcion stressed the urgency of utilizing these vaccines to avoid wasting taxpayer money, especially as the country's debt has surpassed P12 trillion due to pandemic-related borrowing.

He highlighted that a significant portion of the borrowed funds, at least P2 trillion, was allocated for vaccine procurement.

The private sector, through the "A Dose of Hope" program, also purchased vaccines and shared them with the government.

Department of Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje explained that the national government's procured vaccines, along with those from the private sector, local government units, and donations, arrived simultaneously in late 2021 and January 2022.