President Rodrigo Duterte believes the University of the Philippines is capable of inventing the country’s own COVID-19 vaccine as negotiations continue with foreign pharmaceutical firms for the purchase of the valued drug.
In a televised meeting with health experts and members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Saturday (December 26), Duterte asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III if there’s a government agency apart from UP that was working “to find a vaccine.”
Duque, in response, said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is the lead agency in charge of vaccine development.
“So mayroon po tayo pagdating po sa pagtukoy ng mga bakuna that will be the most effective, safest and of ensured quality, Mr. President. So mayroon po tayong — mayroon po tayong mga opisina,” the Health chief added.
Responding to Duque, Duterte said: “The Philippines can produce a vaccine on our own well made or manufactured out of the brainwork of people who are Filipinos. I think UP is one and DOST is working on it.”
The President made the remarks barely a month after he threatened to defund UP for being an alleged hub for recruitment of communists.
“UP, fine, maghinto kayo ng aral (stop school), I will stop the funding,” Duterte said in a November 17 speech.
He advised UP students to “stop schooling” so their parents can save money as he hit UP’s progressive stance.
“Walang ginawa itong ano kung ‘di mag-recruit ng komunista diyan. Tapos nag-aaral kayo, ang gusto ninyong binibira ang gobyerno. Masyado naman nakasuwerte kayo,” Duterte said.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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