The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have discussed details on the initial phases of the five-hectare Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
Agreeing to work together for the smooth and immediate completion of the country’s first virology institute, BCDA president and chief executive officer Aileen Zosa and DOST Secretary Renato Solidum met recently to discuss the progress of the VIP.
The initial phase of the VIP includes the fencing and construction of an access road and dormitory while Phase 2 will include the development of the main buildings and laboratories (BSL 1&2) as well as the utilities and support facilities of the site.
The Biosafety Level 3 and 4 laboratory building will be constructed in Phase 3.
The facilities comprising the VIP complex include an administration building, lecture hall, good manufacturing product building, human and animal virology laboratory, plant virology laboratory, animal isolation, Biosafety Level 3 and 4 laboratory building, plant cultivation area, dormitory, power station, and a sewage treatment plant.
The DOST said the proposed design and structure of buildings for the VIP will follow the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), and high containment laboratories will undergo international certification before they can commence operations.
“Learning from the pandemic, the VIP is a significant step towards advancing the country’s capabilities in managing viruses and viral diseases,” said Zosa.
BCDA allotted a five-hectare parcel of land at the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) in New Clark City to house the VIP for a period of 50 years, which may be extended for another 25 years.
