QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Moderna expresses its plan to build a “Shared Service Facility for Pharmacovigilance” in the Philippines during a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos and other Philippine officials at the Blair House in Washington, DC.

Moderna Senior Vice President and General Manager Patrick Bergstedt describes the country as the “perfect location” for the project that will serve the Asia-Pacific region.

Once operational, it will be Moderna’s only shared service facility in Asia and the third in the world following Poland and Georgia in the US. It is expected to employ around 50 staff composed of health professionals with their shortlisted office location either in Makati or at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

The project will also be the first investment by Moderna in the Philippines and its first in Asia.

Moderna Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay underscored the successful public-private partnership between the Philippine government and Moderna that they wanted to explore further.

“We are really excited to have selected the Philippines for the third one primarily because you know the capabilities exist. We have the talent that exists, and we know that the partnership will be one that can be beneficial for both Moderna and the Philippines,” Garay said.

President Marcos expressed gratitude to Moderna saying it will give the country advantage in healthcare.

 “The opportunity to build shared services in areas of interest, connecting with the scientific, academic opportunity with Moderna, the ministry of health is something that we’re very, very interested in. The most important part is that we sat down and drew the program, and say this is how we approach the problem … Those are the kind of skills that we need. With your experience in other countries, there are many lessons that we could learn that can be applied in the Philippines,” Marcos said.

Moderna was among the pharmaceutical companies that pioneered the production of COVID-19 vaccines, which were distributed to the Philippines at the height of the pandemic.

Marcos met with the Moderna officials on Tuesday afternoon along with former president and now Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual and Department of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez and DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo were also present during the meeting. (KSAA – PIA CPSD)