The Department of Science and Technology revealed that at least five companies are eyeing to build COVID-19 vaccine factories in the Philippines.
DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said in an online press conference that the companies may either assemble the vaccines or produce them from scratch.
“One firm is targeting to start a fill-and-finish facility by the end of the year,” she said.
One of the companies partnered with a Chinese firm while the other one partnered with a German company.
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Guevarra said that other firms are still in the process of finalizing a partnership United States, South Korea and Taiwan.
Guevarra said that vaccine manufacturers may be given 5-6 years of tax holidays when they start operations.
“We are going to pursue vaccine manufacturing as an industry. We need to provide the policy environment that will be favorable,” she said.
The government has stopped producing vaccines in 2015 due to lack of funding.
The DOST also said that the Philippines will soon have its own virology center in Tarlac in the next two years.
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The Bases Conversion and Development Authority has allotted 5 hectares of land for the site of the Virology Institute of the Philippines.
“Nakikipag-usap na ang DOST sa BCDA at DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) para sa lupa… para next year maumpisahan na ‘yung construction,” DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said in an online briefing.
“It will take about 2 years to build that building so end of 2023, 2024 nakabukas na ‘yung building,” she said.
The DOST said that the VIP is a first in the Philippines and will equipped with biosafety laboratories with “the maximum containment level”. (TDT)
