MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is offering a P10-million reward for any Filipino who can develop a vaccine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the announcement in a virtual press conference on Tuesday as the world has yet to discover a medicine that can cure the virus.
“Dahil public enemy number one nga itong COVID-19, hindi lang dito sa Pilipinas kundi sa buong mundo, inanunsyo ng Pangulo na siya ay magbibigay ng pabuya na hanggang P10 milyon sa kahit sinong Pilipino na makakadiskubre ng vaccine laban sa COVID-19,” Roque said.
Roque added the President has also pledged a “substantial” grant to the laboratories of the University of the Philippines and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to boost efforts towards producing a cure for the deadly disease.
Currently, PGH doctors have been trying an experimental plasma therapy for patients in critical condition. Scientists are checking if they can tap the antibodies developed by a recovered person to help a struggling patient combat the infection.
For this process, the plasma – or the liquid portion of the blood from someone who once battled the coronavirus – carries antibodies, which will be infused into a patient’s system with hopes to boost the chances of recovery.
Outside of the Philippines, there are dozens of pharmaceutical firms racing against time in coming up with a viable treatment. Several drug companies in the United States and China have started clinical trials for potential cures.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is related to the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome but not as deadly.
The disease is spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze./PN
