Concepcion: Private sector in talks for vaccine donation

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion on Thursday said the private sector was looking to donate to the government COVID-19 vaccines that “will be coming from a leading pharmaceutical company [that] has a no-profit program within the pandemic.’’

“A portion of this donation will be allotted to front-liners and vulnerable workers in the business sector, following the guidelines set on the priority sector by the government,” Concepcion said in a statement. The businessman, who heads Project Ark, a pandemic response initiative involving the country’s major companies, said he had been working closely with “vaccine czar” Carlito Galvez Jr. and the president of the pharmaceutical company.

Opening the economy

He said the idea came from Banco de Oro (BDO) chair Tessie Sy-Coson, who he said was already in discussion with the pharmaceutical company.

“I felt that it is important that the Philippines should be part of the countries that will receive the vaccines estimated within 2021 and not be left behind,” he said. “Despite many of the donors facing challenges with the pandemic, as seen in the huge drop in profits, all of them see that [having] the vaccines is the only way of addressing the virus and thus opening the economy, so lives will return to normal.”

The donors include BDO, International Container Terminals Services Inc., the LT Group, San Miguel Corp., Go Negosyo, Wilcon Depot, Yazaki Torres, LBC Express, Mercury, Universal Leaf, Aboitiz, Metro Pacific Investments Corp., and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, among others.

“With God’s grace, we are looking to sign the tripartite agreement this coming week. This initiative is in addition to what the government will be procuring as well,” Concepcion added. —Roy Stephen C. Canivel