President Duterte approved the request of DTI to help potential local vaccine manufacturers.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday approved the request of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to help potential local vaccine manufacturers in the Philippines.
During his Talk to the People in Malacañang, President Duterte encouraged officials to heed the request of the DTI to extend assistance to potential local vaccine makers in the Philippines.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the national government started talking to vaccine manufacturers that may manufacture COVID-19 vaccines. Lopez also asked for the national government to purchase locally produced vaccines subject to specifications, standards, and prices.
In addition, Lopez likened the said project to wartime efforts in which companies were mandated to manufacture bullets and ammunition to fight the enemy.
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President Duterte later asked government officials to listen to the request as it will be the “bible of government”.
“Ang hiningi lang ni … Sec. Lopez, assistance. Requested greenlane on government permits. Will subscribe to all requirements and submit documents but need faster production. Kindly give the meaning of every word in that sentence. That could be the bible of government dito. Parang dasal natin ito sa gobyerno kasi historically Philippines is one of the laggard. That’s why we have cut processes down to the lowest level and ask everybody to cooperate,” President Duterte said.
President Duterte also said he would personally sign documents that have been left unattended for three days.
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Lopez showed in his presentation to the President that possible vaccine manufacturers included local pharmaceutical companies United Laboratories Inc. (Unilab) and Glovax Biotech Corp.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry, Unilab started manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines last April 7 and the facility may become operational by year 2023.
Glovax, meanwhile, had signed an agreement with South Korea-based EuBiologics Co. for local vaccine manufacturing.
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