President Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to pass the bills creating a Center for Disease Control (CDC) and a virology and vaccine institute of the Philippines.
“We hope to pursue the creation of public entities dedicated to emerging and re-emerging diseases. I, thus, fervently ask Congress to enact a law creating the Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the Virology and Vaccine Institute in the Philippines,” he said in his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
“Maski gaano tayo kahirap. However poor we are, I think that the Filipinos, given the proper support and the equipment that they have to use, I am sure that the Filipino brain can also process or make toxins in the future,” he added.
Bills aiming to create the country’s CDC were filed in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva welcomed Duterte’s request to create the Virology and Vaccine Institute.
“Huwag na po tayo umasa sa global suppliers dahil sa matinding backlog sa mga orders. We are at the mercy of foreign manufacturers. Tiwala po tayo sa galing at husay ng ating mga kababayang scientists at researchers. Sapat na pondo at karagdagan resources ang kailangan, at handa po tayong aksyonan ang kanilang mga pangangailangan,” he said.
Duterte: Pass law creating PH’s CDC, virology institute
[Let us not rely on the global suppliers because of the huge backlog of orders. We are at the mercy of foreign manufacturers. Let us trust the competence of Filipino scientists and researchers. We need to provide them enough funds and additional resources and we are ready to act on these needs.]
Duterte also asked lawmakers to pass a bill that would establish an OFW Department Bill that will address the needs and welfare of overseas Filipino workers.
“I also ask Congress to pass a law creating the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos,” Duterte said.
“Kailangan po ito because they are suffering… with so many inadequacies both in our government response and including the monetary assistance,” he added.
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