Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) — US-based pharmaceutical firm Moderna has informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of its plan to set up a vaccine-making facility in the Philippines, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
According to the Palace, Moderna Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay and Senior Vice President and General Manager Patrick Bergstedt bared this during a meeting with Marcos at the Blair House in Washington, D.C.
The two executives said their company is set to establish a “shared service facility for pharmacovigilance” that will serve the Asia-Pacific region.
Once operational, it will be Moderna’s only shared service facility in Asia and the third in the world following Poland and Georgia in the US, Malacañang noted.
It will also be the company’s first investment in the Philippines and in Asia, it added..
The government also said the facility is expected to employ around 50 health professionals, and may be housed either in Makati City or at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
Malacañang said the President expressed his gratitude to Moderna, telling them the project will give the country an advantage in healthcare.
“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 was quoted as saying.
“With your experience in other countries, there are many lessons that we could learn that can be applied in the Philippines,” he added.
