The Philippine government is set to sign an agreement with AstraZeneca of United Kingdom for the purchase of over two million doses of vaccine against coronavirus disease, an official said on Thursday.

In a televised press briefing, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said the "tripartite agreement" will be inked on Friday, November 27.

"This coming Friday, we will sign a tripartite agreement wherein we will buy two million doses of vaccine from AstraZeneca of United Kingdom. With us are those from the private sector who donated these (doses)," he said.

He described the negotiation with AstraZeneca as "non-profit."

Galvez said the 2.2 million doses from AstraZeneca will be shouldered by the private sector.

The government is still negotiating with AstraZeneca on whether it would purchase additional doses, he said.

With the tripartite deal, Galvez said the private sector would the the government's partner in fighting the pandemic.

"They will co-share in the responsibility of protecting the economy by vaccinating their own people and their own stakeholders, especially those mentioned by the President (Rodrigo Duterte), the low-level laborers who are earning low in the business sector, they will be given priority in the vaccination," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS