To Community Partners: Vaccine Assistance

An appeal to community partners from the Philippine Consul General, Filipino American Voice United and Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce.

Dear Community Partner:

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the Philippines has been actively seeking access to vaccines to stop the virus’ transmission. Thus far, the Philippines has received over 3 million doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines. In addition, an order for Moderna has been finalized (totaling 20 million doses), the delivery of which is expected by July 2021.

The Philippines recognizes the pivotal role the United States is playing in combatting the pandemic, especially through its timely and impressive roll-outs of the COVID-19 vaccines in the country. In the spirit of 75 years of friendship, the Philippine Government has been making representations with the U.S. Government in order to advance the delivery of the Moderna order. It is in this light that the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and the Philippine Consulates General across the United States are reaching out to Filipino-American community organizations to assist in calling on senators, representatives in Congress, and state legislators, to allow the Moderna vaccines to be delivered to the Philippines at the soonest possible time.

While the Philippines recognizes that the United States is prioritizing the immediate vaccination of its citizens, it is hopeful that the Moderna vaccines could be earmarked for immediate delivery to the Philippines.

For community partners who wish to participate in this response, attached are template letters that you may use in writing to your local officials. The letters were drafted by like-minded Filipino-American community organizations.

In addition, interested community organizations who wish to learn more about these efforts may wish to participate in a webinar being organized by the Filipino American Voice United and the Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce entitled “Call to Action and Unity of FilAm Communities: Humanitarian Response to the Philippine COVID Crisis” on April 21 at 5 p.m. Pacific / 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The Webinar will feature Commissioner Herman Martir of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez and Senator Manuel Pacquiao. Interested participants may register at www.eventbrite.com/e/151161463005.

Thank you very much.

NEIL FRANK R. FERRER
Consul General