The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) expressed support for the commitment of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to push for the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP).
In a statement, DOST said that Marcos signified the new administration’s commitment to establish the VIP under the agency during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.
"It is an essential part of our arsenal in the battle against infectious diseases known and still to be discovered," DOST Officer-in-charge Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. said.
According to DOST, the establishment of the VIP is part of the Philippine government’s response to public health emergencies like the emergence of the Covid-19, which highlighted the need for Research and Development (R&D) capacities in virology research.
It added that the VIP will serve as the country’s premier research and development institute that focuses on the study of viruses and other pathogens, and how their health, environmental, and economic impacts can be prevented.
DOST stated that the proposed VIP will cover the following research areas: fundamental virology research and capacity building; diagnostics and therapeutic tools and techniques; research on vaccine development; and technology transfer.
Aside from viruses affecting humans and animals, the VIP will also address plant viral diseases that pose adverse impacts to the country’s agriculture sector particularly to crops that are of economic and agronomic significance.
Currently, DOST is funding eight foundation projects in the areas of human, animal, and plant virology, as well as research areas of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, with local and international partners, to spearhead the VIP Program.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), on the other hand, has released an initial funding of P284 million for the eight foundation studies, and has allotted P357 million and P219 million budgets for years 2 and 3 of these projects, respectively.
Also, DBM has provided P150 million for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 3 to initiate the construction of VIP at the New Clark City in Pampanga