MANILA – Japan will contribute grant assistance to strengthen the novel coronavirus vaccine cold chain equipment and logistics in the Philippines through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The almost 400 million pesos vaccine cold chain systems include over 70 refrigerated and service truck units, 1,000 transport boxes for vaccines, ice pack freezers, thermometers, among other equipment, to be deployed throughout the country in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), the Japan Embassy in Manila said.
“The fight against the pandemic continues until it is subdued. No country can surpass this public health challenge alone, but with Japan by your side to face it together, we will all emerge stronger and better,” said Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa.
JICA, the Philippines’ leading Official Development Assistance (ODA) partner, said the assistance will help address the country’s cold chain logistics needs vital to deployment of vaccines and medicines in times of public health emergencies like the novel coronavirus.
“COVID-19 has underlined a fundamental reality for many nations - we are all connected and we need to help one another so we can deal with all the challenges from the pandemic. As we sign new projects for cold storage and logistics equipment for the Philippines’ efforts against COVID-19, I hope that JICA and the Philippines continue to work in unity for a safe, stable, and secure future," JICA Philippines Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa stated.
The Japanese government has provided comprehensive support to the Philippines since the pandemic began. This includes over three million vaccine donations, grant aid for the procurement of medical equipment and establishment of laboratory surveillance sites, technical assistance for cold chain development, provision of Avigan tablets for COVID-19 treatment, as well as big-ticket yen loan assistance through the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan (CCRESL) and the Post-Disaster Standby Loan Phase 2 (PDSL 2). - Florenda Corpuz
(Article cover photo: Koshikawa, Azukizawa and DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III attend the virtual signing of an agreement between JICA and the Department of Health on Jan. 28, 2022 for a grant assistance of 885 million yen, as part of the Japanese government’s support to the Philippines’ COVID-19 recovery efforts. Courtesy of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines)
