Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a health reforms crusader and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the country’s capacity to combat viral diseases by co-sponsoring Senate Bill No. 2893, which seeks to establish the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP). He is also the principal author of the measure.
In a co-sponsorship speech inserted into the Senate records on December 10, Go emphasized the urgent need to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future health crises.
Highlighting the significant lessons from the global health crisis, Go noted, “The recent COVID-19 pandemic exposed the world’s unpreparedness in handling viral diseases, which led to numerous losses of jobs, economic growth opportunities, and most importantly, lives. In the Philippines, its impact’s footprints are still visible, but similar events in the future are definitely preventable.”
The proposed Virology Institute aims to address critical gaps in the country’s health response mechanisms, particularly in the surveillance, diagnosis, and monitoring of viral diseases affecting humans, plants, and animals. According to Go, a national virology laboratory is essential for a proactive and effective approach to viral outbreaks.
“Outbreaks like COVID-19 could have been prevented or handled more efficiently in the presence of a national virology laboratory that will conduct surveillance, diagnosis, and monitoring of viral diseases in humans, plants, and animals. Issues like the recent pandemic and other non-human related viruses should be handled with urgency, enough funding, and with the best instruments,” he stated.
Go underscored the importance of self-reliance in health research and vaccine development, recalling the country’s dependence on foreign vaccines during the pandemic.
“Nakita po natin na noong panahon ng pandemya, naka-depende tayo sa ibang bansa para sa ating bakuna. Napapanahon na para magkaroon tayo ng mga pag-aaral at magkaroon tayo ng kakayahan na mag-develop ng sarili nating bakuna,” he asserted.
The bill proposes a comprehensive framework for the VIP to conduct scientific research on preventing and treating viral diseases. It also envisions the institute as a cornerstone in understanding genetic changes in viral genomes, which is crucial for an effective public health response.
“This bill seeks to establish a reliable national virology laboratory that shall play a critical role in surveillance, diagnosis, and monitoring of viral diseases in humans, plants, and animals as well as in the understanding of the genetic changes in their viral genome as a prerequisite for a strong public health response to emerging, re-emerging, and existing viral diseases,” Go explained.
Emphasizing the long-term benefits of investing in health research, Go added, “In the long term, investing heavily in health research initiatives should be pursued. The virology institute will capacitate the country to conduct scientific research initiatives on preventing and treating various viruses and diseases.”
In closing, Go called for support for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2893, highlighting its potential to elevate the health, social, economic, and cultural conditions of Filipinos.
If enacted into law, the establishment of the VIP will serve as the principal laboratory of the country in providing virology laboratory investigations, research, and technical coordination of the entire network of virology laboratories nationwide. The bill will provide guidelines for establishing and operating testing, reference, and biosafety Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 research laboratories throughout the country if enacted into law.
“Laging handa dapat tayo para hindi tayo mabigla. Alalahanin natin na hindi naman natin masabi kung ito na ba ang huling pandemya na darating sa buhay natin. Mas mabuti na handa tayo. Mas mabuti nga makagawa tayo ng sarili nating bakuna para hindi tayo umaasa sa ibang bansa,” he stressed.
Aside from the measure, Go is also one of the authors and co-sponsors of SBN 1869 under Committee Report No. 28, which aims to establish the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure the healthcare system is better prepared to respond to future public health crises if enacted into law.
Go said it is long past due for the country to build its own CDC, noting that such institutions played significant roles in other nations’ responses to COVID-19.
The CDC is envisioned to be the lead agency for developing communicable disease control and prevention initiatives. It will primarily control the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in the country. Some of its primary functions will include policy and standards development, disease detection and surveillance, data collection and analytics, public health communications, and research and evidence synthesis if enacted into law.
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