12 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Philippines: task force

MANILA — The Philippines has administered some 12 million coronavirus vaccine jabs, including 1 million doses in the past 4 days alone, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said on Tuesday. 

The task force earlier said the total doses given were at 11 million as of Thursday. 

"Lumampas po ang 4 na araw, naka-one million [doses administered] na naman po tayo. Twelve million na po tayo," said NTF deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon.

(Four days have passed, and we have administered another 1 million doses. We are now at 12 million.) 

"Dumating lang po ang supply natin, tingin ko po ang mga mayors natin, ang mga governors natin all over the country, kaya po nating i-achieve ang goal natin for this year," he said in a press briefing. 

(Once our supply arrives, I think our mayors and governors all over the country, we can achieve our goal for this year.)

The NTF has yet to release a breakdown on how many of the distributed doses account for the first and second jabs. 

The Philippines has taken delivery of some 17.4 million vaccine doses. 

Authorities expect to receive at least 1 million more jabs this week, Malacañang said on Monday.

• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

The Philippines aims to fully vaccinate at least 58 million out of its 110 million population this year to safely reopen the economy, which recorded its worst post-war slump last year, as the pandemic left businesses struggling and millions jobless. 

• DOH says COVID-19 vaccine second dose may be delayed up to 6 months
• Can Delta variant can bypass COVID-19 vaccine?

Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque thanked the NTF, which he said "made it possible for us to have the vaccines." 

"It may not be the vaccines that are preferred by the people, pero nonetheless po, kung hindi po natin ginamit ang mga vaccine na ginagawa ng ating mga karatig-bansa, wala po tayo ngayon sa 12 million [shots administered]," he said in the same briefing. 

(But nonetheless, if we did not use the vaccines developed by neighboring countries, we will not have reached 12 million.) 

With about 1.4 million coronavirus infections and in excess of 25,000 deaths, the Philippines has the second highest COVID-19 tally in Southeast Asia next to Indonesia.