The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it is currently coordinating with other government agencies for the construction of the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP).
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has "allotted five hectares of land in the New Clark Economic Zone in Capas, Tarlac, as the VIP site," said DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra on Tuesday, May 25.
Currently, both the DOST and BCDA are “finalizing the term sheet before signing the lease contract.” The DOST is also in talks with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the building's design, said Guevarra.
The Department of Budget and Management has allotted P50 million to DPWH for the design of the facility, she said.
“Yung building inI-expect namin it will take about two years to build. So siguro end of 2023, 2024 nakabukas na yung building (We expect the building to take about two years to build. So maybe by the end of 2023, 2024 the building will be open),” said Guevarra.
In a forum last May 21, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the VIP will “serve as the research arm of the government to build its own capacity to produce vaccines and other drugs especially for future pandemic situations.”
“Itong mga inisyatibong ito (With this initiative) this would strengthen our capacity so that we would not have to rely from other countries or agencies or organizations in the future,” she said.
Guevarra said that the “institutionalization of the VIP would require an enacted law.” The Bill for the operation of VIP is still pending in Congress, she said.
“The passage of the Bill is essential to the success of the VIP. This is because we would need an enacted law for the budget on the facilities, the fund for the R&D (Research and Development) work, and the human resources. Thus, the institutionalization of the VIP,” she said.