Bicutan, Taguig City – The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) will be holding a virtual Science Legislative Forum (SLF) on Philippine Virology Science and Technology Institute on 10 October 2022, 9:00 – 12:00 PM via Zoom and Facebook Live.

With the recent approval of House Bill No. 9559, also known as the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act by the House of Representatives, the Philippine Virology Science and Technology Institute will be part of the government's response to public health emergencies.

The virtual forum will emphasize the need to fast track the process of establishing a vaccine institute and to secure support from all stakeholders from different sectors. Scientists and various stakeholders will discuss and provide information to legislators on how important it is for the law to be passed immediately.

Representative Carlito S. Marquez, chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology; Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology; and Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, will share their statement of support for the idea of a Virology Institute.

Representatives from the House of Representatives, Senate, and media are expected to attend the said event.

Interested participants may register at bit.ly/SLFonVirologyInstitute. The event will also be broadcasted on the NAST PHL Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/nastphl) (Janpherson Lapuz/NAST PHL).

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) is an attached agency to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) mandated by law to recognize outstanding achievements in scientific research and development and to serve as an adviser to the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the cabinet on policies concerning science and technology in the country. For more updates, follow NAST Philippines’ (@nastphl) social media accounts.