Russia eyes COVID-19 vaccine plant in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Russia is willing to put up a manufacturing facility for its coronavirus vaccine in the Philippines and talks to make it happen are already ongoing with concerned local agencies, officials said yesterday.

“Russia is willing to put up (a) manufacturing facility in the Philippines which, I told the good ambassador Igor Khobaev, makes eminent sense,” tweeted Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

“This virus will stay and keep mutating so we need the capacity to keep adapting and putting out vaccines for every variation,” Locsin added.

Sputnik V, developed by Gamaleya Research Institute, received conditional emergency approval in Russia last August with the requirement that it would subsequently undergo large-scale trials. There are two other entities in Russia developing vaccines for the virus.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the construction of a manufacturing facility for the vaccines in the Philippines was raised during the farewell call of the Russian ambassador last Tuesday.

Yesterday, Lopez confirmed Russia was in talks about its vaccine, Sputnik V, with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

He said Russia has stated during the meeting it would comply with the Philippines’ rules and regulations related to the manufacture of vaccines, including the conduct of joint third phase clinical trials and regulatory approval.

DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said Russia was also coordinating with the Departments of Health and Science and Technology.

In a Viber message to reporters, Rodolfo revealed: “the offer of Russia is not only to supply vaccines, but also to collaborate for the manufacturing of the vaccine in the Philippines.”

Trade Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty said Russia would be willing to have the vaccines manufactured in the Philippines, provided a pharmaceutical firm can handle the full scale production.

“I think this is something that the Philippines will have to prepare [for] or build capacity,” he said.

Gepty said the road map for vaccine development in the country would require having a local pharmaceutical company to establish a fill and finish for the vaccine in the medium term.

In the long term, he said there are plans to set up a virology science and technology institute to build the country’s capacity initially for research and development and eventually, to have its own full scale vaccine manufacturing.

Deeper ties with Russia

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippines witnessed a reinvigoration of bilateral relations with Russia during the tenure of Khovaev as Manila sought to deepen ties with non-traditional partners.

Locsin expressed his appreciation to Khovaev for his contribution to the enhancement of Philippines-Russia relations.

Along with increasing bilateral engagements and people-to-peoples ties, the DFA said several agreements were signed between the Philippines and Russia in the areas of trade and economy, science and technology, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, space sciences, nuclear medicine, basic research, legal and judicial cooperation, defense cooperation and culture.

The ambassador ends this month his five-year tour of duty in the Philippines as Russia’s top diplomat.

E-visa to Russia

Filipinos may avail themselves of an e-visa applicable for travel throughout Russia starting 2021.

In a Facebook post yesterday, the Russian embassy in Manila said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a directive approving a list of countries whose citizens can apply for the e-visas.

The Philippines is among 52 countries whose citizens could apply for an e-visa during the pilot stage of the project.

The e-visas will be issued online for tourism, business, humanitarian and guest trips.

“Applicants do not need an invitation, hotel booking or any other documents to confirm their reasons for travel,” the embassy said.

The consular fee is $40 and free for children aged under six.