By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
Taking advantage of the developing ties between the Philippines and Russia, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez discussed with Russian Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Igor Khovaev the possibility of manufacturing and distributing Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines during the Ambassador’s farewell courtesy call on 6 October 2020.
Speaking to THEPHILBIZNEWS, Secretary Lopez said, “It is still broad plans at this point. No details. But this is good indication that there’s interest to manufacture the vaccines here in the country to make cost more affordable and supply accessible.”
The plan is part of a bilateral discussion between Russia and the Philippines, which includes joint clinical trials and the immediate provision of vaccine supply after the third phase and regulatory approval. The need to strengthen the ongoing Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation (JCTEC) was also agreed on, which covers the areas of trade, investment, and other economic cooperation projects between the two nations.
