Published January 16, 2021, 3:01 PM
The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) is a good example of what science can do for people, the Department of Science and Technology’s top official said Saturday, Jan. 16.
“It was indeed a very timely decision that DOST and the University of the Philippines (UP) with the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) partnered in putting up the Philippine Genome Center within the UP System way back in 2009,” DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said in a Facebook post.
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña
(TOTO LOZANO / Presidential Photo / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Kalinga party-list Rep. Irene Gay Saulog
(KALINGA PARTYLIST / MANILA BULLETIN)
Kalinga party-list Rep. Irene Gay Saulog, a member of the House Minority bloc, described as “laudable” the decision of the IATF to form the panel, which is composed of medical experts.
“Kalinga Party-list welcomes the IATF’s creation of the TWG that will focus on the new COVID-19 variants. It was a laudable move to appoint as heads those from the medical and scientific community. They possess the requisite knowledge and expertise in addressing the new development in the pandemic,” she said in a Viber message.
“This action alone will not prevent the entry of the new COVID-19 variants to the country. It is, however, a good starting point in the country’s response. A specialized body that will be focused on a mission critical objective,” Saulog said.
Department of Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Department of Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire has been named as head of a group of experts tasked to study new COVID-19 variants and suggest policies to the country s coronavirus task force.
In a statement, Malacañang said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Tuesday created the Technical Working Group (TWG) on COVID-19 Variants upon the order of President Rodrigo Duterte. This Technical Working Group will monitor and identify the occurrence of new variants of COVID-19 in the country and will provide policy recommendations to the IATF on the appropriate response regarding these variants, the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson said.
Filipinos urged the national government to consider the medical frontliners' welfare after the Palace said that there is a possibility that the travel ban
Published January 7, 2021, 2:33 PM
Lawmakers welcomed Thursday the Duterte government’s creation of a technical working group (TWG) that would focus on the new COVID-19 variants.
House Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor lauded the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to form a panel that would strengthen the country’s readiness against the new COVID-19 variant from the United Kingdom.
“This is a welcome development. We have to face this new variant immediately, scientifically, and effectively! We have to stop the variant from reaching our shores,” Rodriguez said in a Viber message.