What Duterte Said in His Weekly Speech (Feb. 1)

Here's a recap of what President Rodrigo Duterte said in his weekly speech to the nation. This one was delivered on Monday, Feb. 1.

• Duterte says the ASEAN is not as powerful as the European Union while discussing the British-made AstraZeneca vaccine.
• CONTEXT: AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine is Cheap, Can Keep in Normal Refrigerator 
• Duterte says the Philippine economy would have been fine if not for the pandemic.
• CONTEXT: How Much Spending Was Lost to Quarantines? Think iPhone 12, K-BBQ
• Duterte says the government is doing its best to "keep us afloat."
• Duterte tells Health Sec. Francisco Duque III: "Do not be discouraged."
• Duterte mentions quarantine classifications for the month of February.
• CONTEXT: Metro Manila Remains Under GCQ in February
• Duterte names government officials linked to various misdeeds.
• COVID-19 Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. says the government has signed term sheets with seven manufacturers and is expecting to acquire some 146 to 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. This, he says, is on top of over 40 million vaccine doses from the COVAX facility.
• CONTEXT: Vaccine coverage from Reportr.World
• Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez III says among the ways the government will funds its COVID-19 immunization campaign are via a multilateral approach, partnerships, and through the global vaccine access facility COVAX.