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President Rodrigo Duterte can have his second dose of COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm anytime after the Philippine Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for the 1,000 donated doses of Chinese brand vaccine, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the reason the Department of Health sought an EUA for Sinopharm from FDA is for the government to use the donated Chinese vaccine.

"Where will it (Sinopharm vaccine) be used? Well, included there is the second dose of the President because the President has not yet received his second dose because he's waiting for the EUA," he said.

In Duterte's "Talk to the People" aired on Monday night, FDA Director General Eric Domingo reported that his office has granted the emergency use for Sinopharm vaccine after Health Secretary Francisco Duque III requested for it last month.

Duque made the request after the World Health Health Organization granted an emergency use listing for Sinopharm.

"So, this was also looked into by our experts and our evaluation (board) at FDA. And today, we already granted an emergency use authorization to DOH to accept the donations of Sinopharm," he said.

Roque clarified that the EUA that was given to Sinopharm was only applicable to the 1,000 doses that China donated.

He said the use of Sinopharm vaccine apart from the donated doses will require another EUA.

Duterte received his first dose of Sinopharm vaccine early May even if it had no approval yet from FDA.

The dose used was part of the 1,000 doses that China donated to the Philippines.

After he was criticized for that, Duterte had asked the Chinese envoy to withdraw the donation. Celerina Monte/DMS