Research Not Reward, Lacson Gives Comment On 10M Reward Of Duterte
LACSON TO DUTERTE – Senator. Panfilo Lacson called for President Duterte to invest P10M in research and development instead of making it a reward.
Previously, the President announced a reward of P10M to whoever could create a vaccine for COVID-19. However, several scientists explained that the P10M wouldn’t be enough for the materials alone.
Still, P10M would be a big help in research towards further understanding of the virus. As such, Senator Panfilo Lacson joined the call for Duterte to invest the reward to research instead.
Furthermore, Lacson emphasized that the Philippines’ budget for Research and Development only accounts for 4% of the annual budget.
Additionally, Lacson highlighted that the Philippines need only to look at the amounts spent by other countries towards research. According to an article from ABS-CBN, Lacson stated:
Even if we bump up the percentage of Research and Development to 1 or 2 percent of the national budget, it would make a major difference.
Along with Lacson, Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro also made a similar appeal. Moreover, he emphasized that Filipino scientists lack support from the national government.
Now more than ever, the Duterte administration should impose systematic medical solutions and put in funding for research and development programs now rather than promising a grant to scientists and researchers after discovering a vaccine to COVID-19,
As per the report, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stated that apart from the P10M reward, Duterte would also provide a “substantial grant” to the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) to develop a vaccine.
However, Roque did not disclose how much the institution would receive.
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