By Mario Casayuran
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III on May 14, Thursday, expressed support for the clinical trials of Japan-made anti-viral drug Avigan in the Philippines as part of the government’s efforts to fight the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, crediting such development to Philippine foreign policy of being “a friend to all nations.”
Senator Koko Pimentel (ALBERT GARCIA / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pimentel, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, issued the statement after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier announced that Japan would provide Avigan free of charge to 43 countries, including the Philippines, for clinical studies as he wanted the drug approved for use against COVID-19 by the end of May.
“We thank our friend Japan for including the Philippines in the allocation of Avigan, a very promising COVID-19 treatment. I understand that this is for research purposes only. Our government should request for more and make it available to patients consenting to take it,” according to Pimentel who has now been cured after weeks of fighting COVID-19 infection.
Developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings Corp., Avigan works by blocking the ability of a virus to replicate inside a cell. It has been used in flu outbreaks and in the treatment of Ebola,
“Our policy of being ‘a friend to all nations’ is already benefitting us. Aside from this provision of Avigan by Japan to us free of charge, China has earlier sent a delegation of public health experts to our country to share with our public health experts what they did in China to contain COVID-19. Even US President Trump has called President Duterte in order to offer additional health and humanitarian assistance to fight the pandemic,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel, a former Senate President, noted that the Philippines’ friendly relations to other nations have greatly impacted overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) especially in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates—some of the top OFW destinations considering their good treatment of Filipino nationals.
“Despite the current focus on solving the COVID-19 pandemic with many countries locking down their borders, the Philippines should continue to pursue and strengthen this independent foreign policy of being ‘a friend to all nations,’’ he added.