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MANILA - Next year's budget allocation for COVID-19 vaccines will be enough for 100 million Filipinos if each drug would be priced at P600, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sonny Angara said Thursday.

Some P2.5 billion is earmarked for the vaccination program under the Department of Health's budget, while another P70 billion in standby funds will be added from either approved loans or once the government exceeds its non-tax revenues targets. Bayanihan 2 also reserves P10 billion for this, bringing the total to P82.5 billion.

"If you are talking about a vaccine that you can obtain at around P600, you're talking about over 100 million persons getting vaccinated. That would seem sufficient," Angara told ANC's Headstart.

However, he noted that several questions remain, such as the promised vaccine supply, when it will arrive in the country, and how it will stored to maintain its efficacy.

"These are things that are all moving targets because there are so many factors at play. All governments of the world are talking to the vaccine manufacturers, trying to obtain adequate supply," he said.

He said Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr, the country's vaccine czar, is currently in talks with multinational manufacturer AstraZeneca for the procurement of the drug, which may be priced at around P600.

According to reports, the vaccine, produced with the University of Oxford, is approximately $3 to $4 and will require 2 doses. It is expected to be sold at cost of production to developing countries.

AstraZeneca is one of 3 vaccine makers seeking to run clinical trials in the Philippines to have passed the country's ethics review board, one of the requirements needed before undergoing evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration.

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The Philippines is hoping to inoculate enough percentage of its population to achieve herd immunity from COVID-19. Galvez earlier said government aims to first vaccinate 3 million frontliners and essential workers, followed by "all government essential workers and servicemen."

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