The Philippines’ health landscape continues to improve with the continuous arrival of more Covid-19 vaccine doses, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

In his sixth and last State of the Nation Address, Duterte expressed optimism that the country would be able to further boost its Covid-19 vaccination rate as more vaccines will arrive in the coming weeks.

“Currently, we have received over 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. We expect [to receive at least] 36 million vaccines this month and in August. We have inoculated more than [17] million Filipinos, [around 11 million] of which have received their first dose,” he said.

He encouraged the public anew to get vaccinated against Covid-19, saying it is the only way to put a stop to the pandemic once and for all.

“We cannot continue living in the shadow of this potent enemy, especially now that science and medicine has proven that it is possible to live with — if not entirely defeat — this virus. The health and safety protocols we put in place have proven effective in slowing the spread of the virus. But the best solution is still vaccination,” he said.

Duterte appealed to those who have received their first Covid-19 jab to complete their second dose as well.

He also sought patience from groups that have yet to receive the vaccine, saying they would soon have their turn and reminded them to continue observing minimum public health standards.

“It is high time that clear, precise, and uniform protocols and guidelines are issued in anticipation of the vaccination of more Filipinos and the steady reopening of our society,” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte acknowledged that “countless lessons” were learned and continuous improvements put in place amid the prevailing health crisis.

“At the early stages of the pandemic, our testing capacity was very limited. Recognizing the importance of conducting more tests to ensure early detection and timely isolation of confirmed Covid-19 cases, we ramped up our testing capacity. We now have more than 260 accredited laboratories nationwide which are capable of conducting at least 50,000 tests daily. All regions also now can conduct their own Covid-19 tests,” he said.

The government, he added, also established over 9,000 temporary treatment and monitoring facilities across the country, with a total bed capacity of more than 140,000 to care for mild and asymptomatic cases.

Duterte recognized the country’s “tireless” healthcare workers and experts who provided patients with the best care round the clock and participated in the search for safe and effective Covid-19 medicines.

He also urged Congress to pass laws creating a virology institute and center for disease control in the country, confident that Filipinos could achieve vaccine self-reliance in the future.

“However poor we are, I think Filipinos, given proper support, I am sure that the Filipino brain can also process or make vaccines in the future,” he said. (PNA)