Canadian firm eyes vaccine manufacturing plant in PH

MANILA – Negotiations are already in progress between the Philippine government and a Canadian biopharmaceutical company to set up a vaccine manufacturing plant in the country, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Rodolfo Robles disclosed Monday.

In an online Palace briefing, Robles said the negotiations with Medicago would proceed “more rapidly” and formally after getting the non-disclosure agreement approved by the Philippine government through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“I offered our pharmaceutical ecozone in Bulacan I think, and I gave them all the perks of having a manufacturing (plant) in the Philippines like trade free taxes, free capital importations, and the like,” he said.

Robles said the Philippines has also expressed interest in getting some of the excess coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines of around 100 million doses from Canada.

He said Canada has 180 million Covid-19 vaccine doses with a population of only about 40 million.

“I had the Philippines listed among those who are interested to get the excess of Canada,” he added.

Robles said Canada is expected to have its population fully vaccinated by the middle of the fourth quarter this year.

“So before the end of the year, we will know already how many excess Canada will have. And I am really watching with an eagle eye on the prospect of getting some excess directly from Canada,” he said.