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The Department of Health signed an agreement with Universal Robina Corp. and PTC Logistics to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of vaccine distribution in the Philippines
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The agreement establishes a pilot project aimed at preserving vaccines’ potency and preventing these from becoming ineffective due to heat, cold, or light exposure
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The public-private partnership is at no cost to the DOH
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The initiative will help address challenges facing the government in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of cold chain systems, thereby expanding access to vaccines in far-flung areas of the Philippines
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URC brings health systems expertise and a practical, results-focused approach to the partnership while PTC Logistics will use its advanced cold chain technologies and operational capabilities to address transport and delivery gaps
The Department of Health (DOH) has signed an agreement with Universal Robina Corp. (URC) and PTC Logistics to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of vaccine distribution in the Philippines.
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) establishes a pilot project aimed at preserving vaccines’ potency and preventing it from becoming ineffective due to heat, cold, or light exposure. In particular, the initiative will focus on improving vaccine availability, strengthening cold chain integrity, and enhancing last-mile delivery systems, particularly across geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in the Philippines.
The MOA was signed on June 30 by then Health secretary Teodoro Herbosa, PTC Logistics president and chief executive officer Enrique Castillo, and URC president and CEO Earl Gast.
The public-private partnership is at no cost to DOH. Its Disease Prevention and Control Bureau and Supply Chain and Management Services will identify five local government units that will be part of the pilot implementation, facilitating coordination and timely delivery of vaccines.
“We’re proud to help build stronger, faster, more responsive health systems in the Philippines, working to improve readiness, strengthen care, and deliver lasting benefits for communities,” Gast said in a joint statement.
“This program will help health leaders act quickly, target resources effectively, and protect communities when every moment matters,” he added.
According to Herbosa, who has since resigned effective July 13, DOH has a clear vision for strengthening health systems through improved access to primary care, the use of technology to accelerate service delivery, and enhanced preparedness for emergencies and pandemics.
“This pilot initiative will help address challenges facing the government in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of cold chain systems, thereby expanding access to vaccines in far-flung areas of the Philippines. This is an important step for every Filipino to have access to life-saving vaccines. We thank URC and PTC for this collaboration and for sharing our vision to boost our national immunization program,” he said.
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The vaccine cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain that continuously stores, manages, and transports vaccines within safe temperature ranges from the manufacturing plant to the point of administration. Temperature-sensitive commodities—vaccines, blood products, and laboratory specimens—are especially vulnerable to disruptions in transport and storage, which can compromise product quality and affect patient outcomes.
Despite significant progress in expanding access to health services by DOH, challenges persist in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of cold chain systems.
With the project, URC brings health systems expertise and a practical, results-focused approach to the partnership, working with governments, business, and institutions to design solutions that improve service delivery.
PTC Logistics, for its part, will use its advanced cold chain technologies and operational capabilities to address transport and delivery gaps, especially in GIDAs. The company will ensure immunization supplies are kept safe, properly maintained, and in good condition from origin to delivery sites, and will cover insurance for those supplies at its own expense.
“We are proud to partner with URC and the Department of Health on this critical delivery initiative. As the logistics industry evolves to meet new challenges, our shared focus is to bridge existing gaps with reliable, alternative solutions. Our role is to ensure a swift, safe response by expanding our reach to deliver vital vaccines to the communities that need them most, while building more resilient and accessible supply chains,” Castillo said.
