Bong Go echoes Duterte’s intent for Philippine vaccine institute

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go urged the government to invest in building local manufacturing capabilities to eventually veer away from the country’s reliance on the international market for vaccines.

He echoed President Duterte’s intention to establish a vaccine institute that will capacitate the country to manufacture or even develop its own vaccines against future pandemics.

“It is better for us to be prepared, it is better for us to have vaccine manufacturing so we don’t get stuck. It is time for us to have our own capacity (to produce) here in our country,” Go said.

The senator is hopeful that the vaccine institute will address the country’s present inability to produce vaccines and other medicines for infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

“Our country has great potential to produce our own medicines and vaccines against various diseases. It is time for us to study how to be self-reliant when it comes to this aspect,” reiterated Go.

Duterte, on Tuesday, expressed his desire to establish the Philippines’ own vaccine institute as his “legacy” to Filipinos before his term ends in 2022.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President has instructed the Department of Budget and Management to allocate funds for the proposed institute.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) welcomed the proposal, noting that this will focus on vaccine development.

“We are pushing for the establishment of the Virology Science & Technology Institute of the Philippines that has the development of vaccines as its major responsibility. I hope the President is referring to that,” DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña told media.

Go asked the DOST, with the help of health experts, local pharmaceutical companies, the private sector as well as those from the academe, to engage with international vaccine producers so that the government could immediately start locally manufacturing the much-needed COVID-19 vaccines.

“This initiative will not only boost our local vaccine supply, but also help increase production of vaccines in the world market,” he pointed out.

Despite the challenges the government faces in purchasing COVID-19 vaccines, Go said that there is no delay in the vaccine rollout as authorities are simply complying with the necessary processes.

“This is contrary to the speculations of some groups who only want to discredit the government and spread false information. To critics, blame will not help. Let‘s just work together. I am sure that if the whole people are united, our vaccinations will be faster and we will save more lives,” Go said.

He added that “Team Philippines is and will remain focused on our goal of achieving herd immunity and lead our people towards full recovery.”

“Let’s support our government and trust the vaccine. This is the key to returning to normal life. Let’s not be afraid of the vaccine, let’s be afraid of COVID-19 because it is deadly and the vaccine is the solution to this disease,” he stressed.