The Philippines is expected to receive 2.3 million doses of vaccines against coronavirus disease from Pfizer under the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility "not later than June," an official said on Thursday.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that WHO country representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe has been trying hard to provide the country with Pfizer.

He said the 2,355,210 Pfizer doses may arrive in the country "not later than June" based on the COVAX and GAVI letter that he received.

Apart from the doses that the Philippines will be getting from Pfizer through COVAX facility, the government is also negotiating for the purchase of more doses from the US-based pharmaceutical company.

Galvez said Pfizer has also offered to deliver up to 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

"The truth is, Pfizer's price is one of the lowest, next to AstraZeneca," he said.

Meanwhile, Galvez said that the 15,000 doses of Sputnik V from Russia's Gamaleya will arrive in the country on May 1.

The initial batch of Sputnik V doses was supposed to arrive on April 28. But due to logistical concerns, including the lack of direct flight between Moscow and Manila, this was postponed.

The government is purchasing more vaccines from Russia, with 1 to 2 million doses of Sputnik V to be delivered by next month.

Galvez, during President Rodrigo Duterte's "Talk to the People" on Wednesday night, said that Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have volunteered to have direct flights to Moscow to pick up the vaccines.

"It's just a 12-hour (flight), long haul. So right now we're making the plan in order not to delay (the deliveries)," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS