* Russia approves world's first COVID-19 vaccine
* Manila accepts Moscow's vaccine supply offer
* Philippines leads SE Asia in coronavirus cases
* Senator warns health services "could collapse"
(Updates with approval for Russia's vaccine, latest case tally,
senator comment)
By Enrico Dela Cruz
MANILA, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte has lauded Russia's efforts to develop a coronavirus
vaccine and is willing to personally participate in trials, as
he welcomed a supply offer from Moscow that he expects will be
free of charge.
Russia on Tuesday became the first country in the world to
grant regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way
for mass domestic inoculation even as the final stage of
clinical trials continue. Russia has offered to supply or co-manufacture the vaccine
in the Philippines, which said it was ready to work with Moscow
on trials, supply and production.
The Philippines has among Asia's highest case numbers, which
rose by 2,987 to 139,538 on Tuesday. "I will tell President (Vladimir) Putin that I have huge
trust in your studies in combating COVID and I believe that the
vaccine that you have produced is really good for humanity,"
Duterte said late on Monday.
The global race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine has raised
concern that speed and national prestige could compromise
safety. To allay public fears, Duterte offered to be a guinea pig
and said: "I can be the first they can experiment on."
In July, he made a plea to his Chinese counterpart to make
the Philippines a priority if it develops a vaccine, amid
concern in developing countries about availability.
He has restored a strict lockdown in and around the capital
Manila as medical frontliners sought a "timeout" to control
surging infections.
Speaking on Monday, when a record 6,958 new infections were
reported, Duterte said he would deploy soldiers to enforce the
lockdown if the situation becomes a "runaway contagion".
The lockdown has been among the world's longest and toughest
and Duterte's opponents and rights groups have voiced concern
about his security-centred approach and the conduct of police.
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said a
comprehensive health-centred strategy should be adopted
urgently, otherwise "our health infrastructure could collapse".
(Editing by Martin Petty)