Phl moves closer to self-reliance with final vaccine institute hearing

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) on Wednesday concluded a nationwide series of public consultations on the rules that will govern the country’s new premier virology and vaccine research center.

The final leg of the discussions, held at the Sequoia Hotel, focused on the draft implementing rules and regulations for the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act, or Republic Act 12290. The sessions began in November 2025 and covered key regions in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The law, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on 12 September 2025, establishes a national center dedicated to virology and vaccine development. The move aims to end the country’s reliance on foreign-made vaccines and boost local research and production capacity.

DoST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the project is a direct response to the lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Resilience is not merely surviving, but thriving,” Solidum said, emphasizing the need for long-term public health infrastructure.

The institute’s main facility is currently under construction in Tarlac province. While the measure faced nearly three years of legislative debate before gaining Senate approval, it now enjoys broad support from the Department of Health, the University of the Philippines Manila, and various local government units.

During the final consultation, stakeholders raised questions regarding specific provisions in the draft, including the potential for bureaucratic redundancies and the need for clearer definitions of technical terms.

The DoST will now review these inputs before finalizing the rules, which will dictate how the institute operates and collaborates with the private sector and international health organizations.