President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed optimism that the government’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will produce good results by yearend especially with the arrival of vaccines for the virus.

“I think that we have reasonably – we did our assignment. And ganito na lang (it’s like this), we are waiting for the vaccines to arrive and to immediately implement the required mandate and that is to mabakunahan lahat (to vaccinate all Filipinos). And we will do it as fast as the vaccines will come in,” President Duterte said in a televised public address.

“We will survive. And by the end of the year, mukhang medyo na tayong – hindi naman pinakamaganda, but magandang resulta sa pagod natin (it looks like – not really the best scenario, but a good result from our efforts),” he added.

The President advised the officials facilitating the government Covid-19 immunization campaign to distribute the vaccines “as fast as we can” to ensure the integrity and efficacy of the vaccines to be delivered to the country.

“So just to make sure that this is an important undertaking and that it should be done correctly, and with the least, if any, with the least of mistakes,” he added.

The Philippines expects to receive the first batch of vaccine deliveries this month through an arrangement between the government and the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility.

The vaccines are manufactured by US drugmaker Pfizer Inc. and British company Astra Zeneca.

Meanwhile, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd reported to the President that the Philippines is already gaining momentum in the fight against Covid-19 with the improvement in its global ranking.

Duque reported that in October last year, the Philippines ranked 18th among countries, and after the aggressive measures adopted late last year, the country is now ranked at 32nd place.

Duque said that in terms of active cases, the Philippines is at 44th place, with 27, 992 cases as of Monday. Malaysia, a smaller country than the Philippines with a lot less population, has 51,241active cases. Indonesia recorded 176,291 active cases.