DAVAO CITY — Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, the director of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) is the Philippines first to receive a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, March 1.
Legaspi got a shot of Coronavac, manufactured by Chinese firm Sinovac Biotech, during a symbolic vaccination ceremony at the UP-PGH grounds attended by top government officials. The vaccine was administered by Nurse Chareluck Santos.
The Philippines began its first legal vaccination on Monday, beginning an ambitious program that seeks to inoculate up to 70 million people or two-thirds of the population this year.
After Legaspi, also vaccinated were Dr. Edsel Salvana, who is part of the Department of Health Technical Advisory Group, also a PGH doctor, and Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo.
“Si Dr. Legaspi ang nanguna sa atin sa laban na ito kaya karapat-dapat lang na siya ang unang tumanggap ng ating bakuna,” PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said.
“Kayong dalawa ay nasa kasaysayan na ng COVID-19,” he added, referring to Legaspi and Santos.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. also received a shot of Sinovac’s vaccine at the PGH. The vaccines from Sinovac arrived on Sunday at the Villamor Airbase.
