Government moves to unlock full potential of herbal products

MANILA, Philippines — The Board of Investments (BOI) is pushing for the development and commercialization of next generation herbal products to unlock the full potential of the country’s natural health products industry.

The investment promotion agency recently held discussions with other agencies and organizations about the promising development of herbal products, as part of the recommendations of a study on the success of lagundi and sambong as well as challenges and prospects of the country’s herbal medicine sector.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said prior to the completion of the study last February, the country’s herbal products have not significantly moved forward after the successes of lagundi and sambong.

“In the conduct of consultations, we learned that other herbal products have successfully undergone clinical trials…there are more which are currently being promoted for commercialization,” Rodolfo said.

Lourdes Marie Tejero, director at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila -Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, said while there are many opportunities available in the country to make use of its herbal plants, there are also challenges.

“You need clinical trials, clinical trials are a very challenging thing to do. It takes a long time to develop a medicine. We have a huge opportunity. The challenge is on the financial side. We lack financial support. Clinical and pre-clinical testing are costly,” Tejero said, as there are herbal medicines in the country that can combat high-morbidity diseases including human immunodeficiency virus.

Romeo Quiambao, manager of UP Manila – Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, said that the country’s natural health products industry faces challenges such as support for startups, regulatory processes for biomedical devices, continued funding for long term research and development, as well as supply of raw materials for herbal medicines.

“We have a huge potential to be a hub for natural health products,” Dr. Aubrey Tabuga, a consultant commissioned by the BOI for the study said.

Instead of developing a wide array of nature-based products, Tabuga said that there is a  need to prioritize herbal plants for which government support must be put in.

Tabuga added that other products showing potential due to its extensive use are moringa, banaba, tawa-tawa, and virgin coconut oil.

To develop the country’s natural health products sector, the study recommends providing technological support to producers to come up with export-quality products.

The study also proposed the creation of a long-term development plan or roadmap for the herbal products industry through multi-stakeholder discussions to ensure a strong policy and regulatory framework and strong government support.

BOI executive director Corazon Dichosa said that there is a need to have a national herbal products task force composed of industry associations, other relevant government agencies, and academe through UP Manila Institute of Herbal Medicine.

“Industry development requires multi-agency and multi-sectoral collaborations, or because of the pandemic, we now call it ‘whole-of-nation’ approach. So I enjoin everyone to keep the enthusiasm, hard work, and commitment – all for the development of the natural health products industry,” Dichosa said.