Bongbong, Sara back local production of Molnupiravir

The tandem of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio is supporting the local production of COVID-19 drug in the country.

Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio’s UniTeam alliance said Friday it fully backs the initiative of the private sector to produce in the country Molnupiravir, an oral treatment against the virus.

"We fully support this kind of initiative, and we intend to expand it so that more of our people can avail of this life-saving medicine," the alliance said in a statement.

"We also need to allow our local pharmaceutical industry to increase its manufacturing capacity to make Covid-19 treatments widely available and more affordable," it added.

UniTeam said the country’s battle against the pandemic "will be for the long haul," so it supports all initiatives that will bring immediate benefit to the people.