Duterte approves advance vaccine payments, EUA in principle

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved advance payments and supply deals with potential vaccine suppliers to ensure early access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Duterte also agreed in principle to issue an executive order allowing the Food and Drug Administration to grant emergency use authorization for vaccines, reducing approval time from six months to 21 days.

The President initially opposed advance payments but changed his stance after learning other countries had already made such arrangements.