MANILA — The Philippines will receive 2.3 million COVID-19 shots from US-based Pfizer-BioNTech "not later than June," an official leading the vaccination strategy said on Thursday.

Vaccine-sharing COVAX Facility wrote to the Philippines saying it would deliver 2,385,210 Pfizer jabs "not later than June," said Carlito Galvez Jr, chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

Pfizer and Philippine authorities are finalizing a deal on legal immunity and who will shoulder compensation in case of adverse effects from the vaccine, Galvez said.

"Napaka-cordial, napakabait nga po ng Pfizer... Kahit mayroon tayong tinatawag na challenges, legal challenges, talagang hindi nila binago iyong kanilang tinatawag na offer sa atin," he said in a press briefing.

"Isa po sa pinakamababa na presyo ang Pfizer, sumunod doon sa AstraZeneca. Ang ganda ng presyo sa atin."

(Pfizer is very cordial, kind. Even though we had legal challenges, they did not change their offer to us. Pfizer has one of the lowest prices, next to AstraZeneca. Its price for us is very good.)

The Philippines is negotiating for 40 million Pfizer jabs, said Galvez, who is also the country's vaccine "czar."

• One dose of COVID vaccine cuts household spread by up to 50 pct: UK study
• Pfizer, BioNTech launch COVID-19 vaccine trial on kids under 12

Among the hardest hit by the pandemic in Asia, the Philippines aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people or two-thirds of its population this year.

• COVID-19 deaths in Philippines top 17,000
• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

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