Duterte formalizes $1M pledge before COVAX Summit Published June 2, 2021 11:27pm President Rodrigo Duterte said as both donor and recipient country, the Philippines "counts on the COVAX AMC initiative to bring much-needed vaccines to developing countries." President Rodrigo Duterte has formalized the $1-million pledge as contribution to the COVAX initiative, Malacañang announced. The Palace said President Duterte also reiterated his call for universal access to safe and effective vaccines at the GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment One World Protected Summit on Wednesday. Duterte said there is a glaring imbalance in vaccine distribution with more than 80% of the global supply going to developed countries.