By Arabella Asis
Malacañang said pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Moderna is planning to set up a vaccine facility in the Philippines that will serve the entire Asia-Pacific Region.
The plan was disclosed by Moderna Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay and Senior Vice President and General Manager Patrick Bergstedt to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a meeting at the Blair House in Washington D.C.
They said the planned “Shared Service Facility for Pharmacovigilance” will ensure employment opportunities to Filipino health professionals.
The facility is expected to employ around 50 staff, with its office established either in Makati or at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Bergstedt said the Philippines is the “perfect location” for their third shared service facility in the world, following Poland and Georgia in the United States.
“We are really excited to have selected the Philippines for the third one primarily because you know the capabilities exist. We have the talent that exists, and we know that the partnership will be one that can be beneficial for both Moderna and the Philippines,” Garay said.
Meanwhile, Marcos expressed his gratitude for the opportunity as an advantage to the country’s healthcare system.
“The opportunity to build shared services in areas of interest, connecting with the scientific, academic opportunity with Moderna, the ministry of health is something that we’re very, very interested in,” the President said.
“Those are the kind of skills that we need. With your experience in other countries, there are many lessons that we could learn that can be applied in the Philippines,” he added. –ag
