Umapela ang Department of Science and Technology (DOST) sa Senado na madaliin na ang pagpapatibay isang panukalang batas na naglalayong makapagtayo ng Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) at lagyan ng “vaccine” sa titulo nito upang mabigyang-diin ang kahalagahan ng pag-usad ng pagbabakuna sa bansa.
“We would like to request the Senate to adopt the version already approved by the House but institute a little modification in the name of the Institute because the President wants to emphasize the importance of vaccine development so we would like to retitle the Institute as the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines,” pagdidiin ni DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña.
Pasado na sa pangatlo at huling pagbasa sa mababang kapulungan ng House Bill No. 9559 o ang panukalang VIP Act, dalawang araw matapos hilingin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na itatag na ito.
“Now, why do we want to include vaccines? Because there are illnesses or diseases not necessarily caused by virus alone. Whatever the origin of the disease, whether it is virus or not, we will still need the vaccines kaya gusto natin idagdag ang word na “vaccine” sa pangalan,”paliwanag ni Dela Peña.
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Binanggit din nito na bago pa ang pag-apruba sa Kongreso, pinangunahan na ng DOST ang walong proyekto sa tulong ng ilang local research team na maaaring bumuo sa research core ng VIP.
“Once the VIP has been legislated, we shall immediately work on the crafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the VIP and finalize the partnerships with international institutions that willhelp us build the capacity of the VIP through visiting scientists, exchange fellowships and collaborative research,” sabi ni de la Pena.
Ayon sa kalihim, sa tulong ng VIP, maaaring makapagtaguyod ng sariling pag-aaral ang Pilipinas para sa lilinanging bakuna ng ilang local vaccine developers.
“These basic researchers will ensure that local vaccine manufacture will take priority in terms of vaccine development and manufacturing.The VIP also aims to build human resource capability, infrastructure, and local and internal networks necessary for the country’s self-reliance in vaccine development,” sabi pa ni Dela Peña.
Target ng pamahalaan na maitatag ito sa huling bahagi ng taon.
Charissa Luci-Atienza
