MANILA -- The Philippines is expecting the delivery of 22.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses this month as the government ramps up its inoculation drive against the coronavirus particularly with the detection of a more infectious variant, the country’s vaccine czar reported on Monday.

During President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s weekly public address, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the country expects the deliveries of vaccines made by AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinovac, and Sinopharm.

Galvez, who is also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, said China’s Sinopharm will donate one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine which is expected to arrive on August 21.

Sinovac Biotech will also deliver 3 million doses in the forth week, while Pfizer and Moderna will send 727,850 and 2.2 million doses, respectively. These shipments are part of vaccine procurement of the government and the private sector.

Also, 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX vaccine-sharing program will be delivered to the country this month, according to Galvez.

The government has so far administered 24.4 million COVID-19 vaccines, with more than 13 million individuals getting the initial dose and 11.3 million people receiving the full dose.

In Metro Manila, Galvez reported the government has administered 9.17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of August 8. Around 50.91 percent of the targeted population in the National Capital Region received the first dose of the jab.

The vaccine czar noted, however, that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Soccsksargen, and Central Visayas posted low COVID-19 vaccination rates, with only about 10 percent of the population getting full protection.

“Ito po gagawan natin ng paraan para makapag-increase ng kanilang percentage lalong-lalo na itong sa Region VII dahil sa ngayon ay nagkakaroon po ng surge,” Galvez said. (PND)