Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 12) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. called on his fellow ASEAN leaders to work closely with India for access to medicines and vaccines as the region continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“ASEAN friends, let us not miss the opportunity of having the ‘pharmacy of the world’ as our close neighbor and dialogue partner. The high cost of life-saving medicines and vaccines are barriers to a healthy population,” Marcos said during the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
“Let us work closely with India in ensuring that our region has access to a sufficient volume of affordable, high-quality medicines and vaccines,” he added.
India is considered the world’s leading producer of generic drugs, providing 20% of the global supply. It is also the largest manufacturer of vaccines globally.
Marcos and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed last August to boost ties between the two countries, with the possible agreement on the production of generic medicines in the Philippines.
Marcos also encouraged ASEAN nations to deepen engagement with India on the so-called blue economy.
He added that he is looking forward to work with India on the implementation of the ASEAN multi-sectoral framework on climate change to address the issue on fluctuations in the supply and price of rice and fertilizers.
