Duterte assures funding for PH vaccine R&D, production

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to “readily” give additional funding to vaccine research and development in the Philippines as the country grapples with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Yung alam ng American, yung sa Europe, alam rin ng Pilipino ‘yan. Pabilisan lang yan..I’d like to ask, do they need funding to continue working, Sir? Itong mga scientist natin at the vaccine thing do they need a funding?” Duterte asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during a taped address aired on Friday.

Duque said the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has enough funds to continue its research work for vaccine production.

The PCHRD is one of the three sectoral councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“Yun pong PCHRD…meron naman po silang pondo para sa pagpapatuloy ng pananaliksik o research for vaccine production,” Duque told Duterte.

“But I’m not sure if this particular vaccine that they are developing is specifically for COVID-19 aalamin ko pa kung isinama na po nila ito sakanila pong kasalukuyang research work,” he added.

Nevertheless, Duterte assured of additional funding for vaccine research but still noting that the government has a limited budget.

“Anyway, whatever it is, as long as they are working on the to find out to discover COVID (vaccine), it does not really matter to me. What matters to me is the dedication and the load of work that they are performing,” the President said.

“So kung kailangan nila ng additional funding, all they have to do—I’m announcing it—is magsabi sila sayo (Duque) and I’d be glad to, kung hindi masyadong malaki, ipit tayo sa pera, I will readily give it to them. I’d rather spend all of our money, in connection with COVID-19, (vaccine) discovery, assistance, lahat,” he added.

Duterte also raised to P50 million the reward to any Filipino who will discover a vaccine to cure COVID-19.

To date, Philippine health officials have confirmed 6,981 COVID-19 cases in the country.

Of the number 722 have recovered while 462 have died.

/MUF