Rep. Florida Robes speaking at the House of Representatives. FILE PHOTO / Rep. Robes’ office
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should become a production hub of the Russian coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine once its safety and efficacy are proven by local health officials to make it affordable to all Filipinos, San Juan Del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes said Wednesday.
Robes, who chairs the House committee on people participation which has been holding hearings regarding the vaccine, said she will push to make the Philippines a production hub for Sputnik V, name of the Russian vaccine for COVID-19.
Its safety, however, has to be proven first by the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Robes said.
“What the Russian government is offering to us will make the COVID-19 vaccines more affordable to all Filipinos and will enhance the knowledge and expertise of our scientists in vaccine production which they can use in the development of vaccines of other diseases,” Robes said in a statement.
Robes said that in a meeting with Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev, the ambassador has said that Russia is the only country in the world that is pushing for a joint partnerships with the Philippines on the vaccine’s production.
“The good Ambassador told the House of Representatives that his country is the only country in the world which offers not only to supply of vaccine but also its production which means that they are committed to a long-term, robust strategic partnership with the Republic of the Philippines. They come to forge a beneficial partnership for all Filipino generations to come,” Robes said.
In the Philippines, the DOH and the DOST together with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is the only Russian state-owned institution responsible for the production and distribution of the vaccine, is currently evaluating the safety of Sputnik V under the phase 1 and phase 2 of the clinical trials.
Citing Vladisav Mongush, Commercial Advisor of the Russian Embassy, Robes said that as soon as the DOH and DOST obtain positive results of the tests and evaluation, phase 3 or the final stage of the clinical trials will begin.
Phase 3, which is the human trial, is expected to last for 3 months and if all goes well, the vaccine may be made available in the early part of 2021.