MANILA, Philippines —Senator Joel Villanueva on Monday said he is expecting President Rodrigo Duterte to tackle the establishment of a virology institute in the country in his final State of Nation Address (SONA), saying the Philippines would always be at the “mercy” of manufacturers if it cannot produce its own vaccines.
Villanueva said this is among what he expects the President to discuss in his SONA alongside his plans for the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Umaasa po tayo ng malinaw na plano at direksyon mula sa Pangulo pagdating sa recovery ng ating bayan mula sa pandemya,” Villanueva said in a statement.
(We are expecting a clear …
Keep on reading: Lawmaker expecting Duterte to tackle virology institute, pandemic recovery plans in final SONA