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Beijing gave its word after President Rodrigo Duterte told Filipinos in a recent address that he had "pleaded" with Chinese President Xi Jinping to let the Philippines be the first on the long queue for the vaccine against COVID-19.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in a daily briefing on Tuesday, July 28, 2020:
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"We are willing to give priority to the vaccine request made by China's friendly neighbor, the Philippines." 
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Sought for comment, presidential spokesman Harry Roque thanked Beijing for "publicizing its position" on the matter. Roque said:
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"As a close friend of China, the Philippines will benefit from the vaccine they will develop. Thank you." 
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"This is the fruit of our independent foreign policy where we are friends to all and enemies to none." 
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The Palace official, however, implied that the Philippines is not closing its doors on other countries which might also develop a COVID-19 vaccine.  He said:
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"Expect that our friendship with other countries such as America and Europe will prompt them to share their vaccine to us."
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Two vaccine candidates developed by Chinese firms had previously entered Phase 3 trials or large-scale testing on humans - the last step before regulatory approval.
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As early as May, President Duterte bet that a vaccine from China would be available by September, adding that the country is neither arrogant nor boastful.  Duterte said:
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"But they, you know, they work and I'm very sure that they will be the first one - one of the countries that would be able to come up with a vaccine."
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National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. bared that the country's top diplomats have been coordinating with their counterparts to ensure the Philippines's access to coronavirus vaccines once it becomes available. Galvez said:
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"Vaccine may come later this year and we are ready to get it because of the President's diplomatic efforts ... So, in case a vaccine is developed, we will be one of the countries who will have access to this." 
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Optimism shared
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In a statement, the Department of Health (DOH) said it "shares the optimism" of President Duterte that the Philippines will have access to COVID-19 vaccines soon.
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The government's task force on COVID-19 recently approved the country's participation in Gavi COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), a financing mechanism aimed at encouraging manufacturers to increase the supply of COVID-19 vaccines by giving them incentives.
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Galvez also said that the DOH has been negotiating with manufacturers to lower the price of COVID-19 treatment medicines such as Remdesivir and Avigan, as well as high-flow nasal cannulas - a breathing support system hailed as a safer alternative than mechanical ventilators.
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<b>Source:</b>
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Phl gets first dibs, <a href="https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/07/31/phl-gets-first-dibs/" class="news_link" target="_blank" title="Source">MJ Blancaflor with Elmer N. Manuel</a>, July 31, 2020, The Daily Tribune Headlines

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China: Philippines will be the first on long queue for vaccine against COVID-19