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‘Utang na loob’: Duterte thanks China for donating COVID-19 vaccines in last SONA

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/06/10/20210519-covid19-vaccine-marikina-jc-8.jpg"/><figcaption>Health workers administer an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shot to education frontliners during a symbolic vaccination ceremony for Marikina Polytechnic College and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina at the Marikina Sports Center on May 19, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday hailed China as the first country to help the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19, saying in his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he is indebted to Asia&#x27;s largest economy.</p><p>Duterte said Chinese President Xi Jinping was the first global leader he called to seek help for the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1734878" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>&quot;When the pandemic struck, the first country I called for help is China,&quot; he said an hour and a half into his speech.</p><p>&quot;Sabi ko, President, we have no vaccination program here... We were not able to invent one. We might have a hard time,&quot; Duterte said.</p><p>&quot;He (Xi) said it&#x27;s okay, we will send [vaccines to] you,&quot; he said, noting that China donated around 1.5 million COVID-19 jabs to the Philippines.</p><p>While Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinovac donated some 1 million jabs to the country, the Philippines paid for 16 million other vaccines from the company, based on tracking by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.</p><div class="infogram-embed" data-id="_/yFVE69R1WlSdqY3aCsBF" data-title="COVID-19 VACCINE TRACKER PH" data-type="interactive"> </div><div><script type="text/javascript">!function(e,i,n,s){var t='InfogramEmbeds',d=e.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement('script');o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src='https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js',d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,'infogram-async');</script></div><p>Duterte admitted that he was indebted to China, which has been militarizing several areas within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. </p><p>&quot;Ako, lalo na kaming mga Bisaya, mabigat sa amin yan. &#x27;Yung utang na loob, mabigat talaga yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>(To me, especially to Visayans, we take it seriously. We take our debts of gratitude seriously.)</p><p>&quot;Kapag may utang na loob ako sa iyo (If I have a debt of gratitude to you), you will be sure I will be your true friend and die for you,&quot; he said.</p><p>Duterte was inoculated with Chinese-made vaccine Sinopharm even before the pharmaceutical company secured an authorization from the Philippine Food and Drug Administration to use the vaccine for emergency purposes.</p><p>In 2016, an international tribunal awarded an arbitral victory to the Philippines and invalidated China&#x27;s sweeping 9-dash line claim in the South China Sea.</p><p>Duterte has not enforced the decision, saying Philippine troops are no match for China&#x27;s military.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/china-covid19-vaccines-duterte-thankful">China COVID vaccine donations helpful as PH struggles to buy doses, says Duterte</a></li></ul>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday hailed China as the first country to help the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19, saying in his last State of the Nation Address that he is indebted to Asia's largest economy.</p>

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday hailed China as the first country to help the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19, saying in his last State of the Nation Address that he is indebted to Asia's largest economy.

‘Utang na loob’: Duterte thanks China for donating COVID-19 vaccines in last SONA

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‘Utang na loob’: Duterte thanks China for donating COVID-19 vaccines in last SONA

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 26, 2021 06:24 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 26, 2021 07:13 PM PHT

Read More:

SONA

SONA 2021

Rodrigo Duterte

politics. State of the Nation Address

China

COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccines

vaccines

coronavirus

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