House urges FDA to hasten procedures for CPR, EUA permits of local pharmaceuticals enablePagination: false endIndex: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 18) -- House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Sunday appealed to the Food and Drug Administration to expedite the procedures concerning the application of local drug makers for certificates of product registration and emergency use authorization permits amid the pandemic. Velasco said local pharmaceuticals can boost the country’s response against COVID-19 but government agencies should strike a balance between the "thorough study of drugs" and making compliance easier for the drug firms. “There are countless reports of local drug manufacturers whose products have been stuck in regulatory limbo for years. These bureaucratic impediments are something that we need to eliminate, especially during a public health crisis,” he added.