MANILA, March 1 Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, Medical Director of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) became the first Filipino to be officially inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine, as the Philippines’ national vaccination program started today, March 1, 2021.
Dr. Legaspi was inoculated with CoronaVac, the vaccine from Sinovac Biotech a donation from the government of China. The first inoculator for the Philippines is UP-PGH nurse Sherlock Santos.“Makasaysayan po ang araw na ito dahil sinimulan na po natin ang ating pagbabakuna,” said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr, in a press briefing at the UP-PGH on March 1, 2021.
The Palace official said that the arrival of the Sinovac vaccine yesterday, February 28, 2021, can also be considered historical for the country.