MANILA, Philippines --- Apart from China's Sinovac, the Philippines is also eyeing to roll out in February Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine via the COVAX facility, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

"Baka mauna ang Pfizer because the COVAX facility will be deploying the early rollout of Pfizer so iintayin din namin 'yun sa February," Galvez said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

(Pfizer might be first because the COVAX facility will be deploying the early rollout of Pfizer so we're waiting for that this February.)

Galvez said they are meeting with the COVAX facility this morning to apply for its scheduled early rollout next month.

The COVAX facility is a platform that aims to ensure rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for people in all countries.

The COVAX facility already guaranteed COVID-19 vaccines for 20 percent of the Philippines' population, the Department of Health said.

Earlier, the country already secured 25 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac.

Some 50,000 doses of this vaccine will arrive in the country also by February.

JPV