The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) amplified its calls on the lawmakers passing the bill mandated to establish the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines amid the threat of the FLiRT Covid-19 variant in the country.

DoST chief, Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., said that when it comes to Covid-19 operations, the Department of Health is the agency primarily in charge of monitoring, but if there are new vaccines from other countries that will be used to combat the said virus, DoST has a panel of experts that evaluates them.

“But I also want to use this time to encourage our legislators to pass the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines [bill] because the threat of the virus will not disappear,” he said.

Solidum further underscored that because the Philippines is a biodiverse country that is affected by global warming, the threat of zoonotic diseases in animals is very high.

“So we must be proactive. So the DoST is really pushing to pass the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines,” he added.

The DoST official also expressed support for increasing the DoH’s budget to address the possible effects of the said Covid-19 variant, as he said that health security is an important aspect of the nation.

Under Senate Bill No. 941, or the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act of 2022, the VIP shall serve as the premier research and development institute in the field of virology, encompassing all areas in viruses and viral diseases in humans, plants, and animals.

Further, it shall act as a venue for scientists, both here and abroad, to work collaboratively to study viruses of agricultural, industrial, clinical, and environmental importance.

‘FLiRT variant likely here’

Last week, the DoH said the FLiRT Covid-19 variant had likely entered the country.

“Whether or not sequencing shows variants flagged by global health agencies, the DoH assumes the flagged Omicron sub-variants are already likely here and notes that cases continue to be clinically mild and manageable," said DoH spokesperson, Asec. Albert Domingo.