Russia may be giving the Philippines its vaccines against COVID-19 for free, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

In a briefing aired on Monday night, Duterte thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for making the vaccines available to the Philippines.

“Maligayang-maligaya ako kasi ang Russia kaibigan natin ito. Wala tayong away sa Russia. Ang ano nila is bibigay sila ng bakuna, wala naman silang sinasabing Bayaran mo, ” Duterte said.

“Ito tingin ko kay President Putin, tulong niya sa atin, libre. Kaya ngayon, tinatanggap natin at kung ano ang supply, mag-usap pa kami kung ilan ang kailangan natin,” he added.

Duterte said he was willing to be the first Filipino to receive the anti-COVID-19 shots which Russia had developed.

He said COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed by Russia worldwide by September or October after clinical studies are completed.

“Ako pagdating ng bakuna in public, para walang satsat diyan, in public magpa-injection ako,” Duterte said.

“Ako yong unang ma-eksperimentuhan. Okay para sa akin,” he added.