More than a throwback: For the resumption of the
National Vaccine and Sera Production Program
It's been decades passed since the Philippine serum and vaccine production program was suspended in the 90s. Probably due to budget constraints, neoliberal economic policies, and the closure and moving of the former Biologicals Production Service to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang in Muntinglupa, the program is relegated into a memory of those who can recall as such.
However, with the recent sharing of a photo by Architect Gerard Lico about how the Philippines during the Commonwealth period afforded to donate locally-produced vaccines and sera for the Chinese, it seems that the Filipinos during those times were somehow serious in engaging in the sciences, and it was more than just research and development, but also production and distribution of such creations whose drive was to prolong life.
That somehow made the concerned who sought would say "why not give it a try"? Especially that in a time of COVID19 pandemic that's still rolling, and some countries (such as Cuba, Vietnam) afforded to create their local variants while waiting for imported vaccines, that the Philippines would’ve engaged more in biological sciences as in the past- if not for some politickings and economics agreements that limits such wondrous ambitions.
Looking back
The Philippine serum and vaccine production had its beginnings with the creation of the Bureau of Government Laboratories (BGL) in 1900, simultaneously with the establishment of the civil government of the Philippines during the American occupation. This bureau replaced the Spanish-era "Laboratorio Muncipal", that also dealt with science and sanitation during that period. In 1905, the BGL became known as the Bureau of Science, that also dealt with the the study of tropical diseases and laboratory projects, as well as a public health laboratory of the former Board of Health of Manila. However, very much earlier, the Spanish Colonial Government introduced its own anti-smallpox inoculation campaign at the instance of King Charles IV of Spain, who sent to the Philippines his physician Dr. Francisco Javier de Balmis. This scientific expedition resulted one year later, in 1806 with the creation of the Central Board of Vaccination whose specific duty was to prevent smallpox.
The Bureau of Science, which was later transferred to the Department of Agriculture, underwent a basic change from being a public health laboratory to a general scientific laboratory, with inclination towards towards agriculture and food processing, while medicine and pharmacy relegating to the background. Not much focus was given on the development of industrial technology due to free trade policy with the United States which nurtured an economy geared towards agriculture, commerce, and trade.
This condition, however, did not long as in response to the needs for the development of public health in the Philippines, the Bureau of Science flourished again as a public health laboratory, this time with greatly expanded activities resulting in the overcrowding of its building in Manila. To cope with the expansion, Agriculture Secretary Dr. Galicano Apacible, set aside a big lot formerly used by the former Agriculture bureau as an experimental animal station and ordered the transfer of the serum laboratories of the Science Bureau, using an old stable building which eventually served mainly as washing, media room, and as pilot project laboratories. From then on this became known as the Alabang Serum and Vaccine Laboratories.
According to an old article, the laboratory built during the 1920s utilised two of the 110 hectares, with a small power plant, and about five nipa huts for its laborers clustered around the laboratory building. In fact, the facility was almost sold twice at a nominal price "for having been a losing government project". But in 1936, the laboratory was given an opportunity by being transferred from the bureau to the University of the Philippines School of Hygiene nd Public Health, at the start of the commonwealth government. It was placed directly under the charge of the head of the Department of Sanitary Bacteriology and Immunology.
With a revolving fund of 100 thousand pesos, a 10-year construction and improvement program was launched that at the start of the of the second world war, it was half-completed. It also served as a Hospital by the Imperial Japanese Army while continuing its routine vaccine and serum production. An underground bomb shelter the soldiers was also dug in the site, and even released snakes from its serpentarium before liberation to "booby trap" the area against the advancing Americans.
In 1947, the newly-formed republic moved the laboratory into the hands of the Department of Health, becoming a part of the Public Health Research Laboratories. In 1952, it became a recipient of FOA/PHILCUSA dollar commodities amounting to 200 thousand US Dollar aid which greatly rehabilitated the facility. This rehabilitation program not only improved the facility but increased its essential biological products which not just benefited the Filipinos but also other Asian countries in need of essential vaccines and sera for disease control. This facility eventually became known as the Biologicals Production Service (BPS), and continued its operations in Alabang until it was suspended in 1996 (in the case of rabies vaccine) when the facility was moved from the 1920s-era building to a new one beside the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), also in Alabang. In November 2000, the Biologicals Production Service of the Department of Health (DOH) was formally merged with the RITM.
According to a writeup made for the participants of a field visit during the 9th session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee of the Western Pacific, Manila in 1958, The biological products manufactured in the Serum and Vaccine Laboratories at the Alabang Compound were those of the following:
- Cholera-Dysentery-Typhoid Para A vaccine
- Cholera vaccine
- Gonococcus vaccine
- Anti-rabies vaccine (both human and veterinary)
- Typhoid Para A vaccine without phenol
- Typhoid vaccine without phenol
- Smallpox vaccine (dried vaccine virus)
- Anti-tetanic serum
- Anti~dysenteric serum
- Anti-gas gangrene serum (now discontinued)
- Cobra antivenin serum
- Normal horse serum
- BCG vaccine and tuberculin dilutions
- Diphtheria toxoid
- Tetanus toxoid
These vaccines were eventually be discontinued with the anti rabies vaccine as the last being produced at the BPS laboratories in Alabang in 1996. From then on the Philippines depend on imports and from the private pharmaceutical institutions.
Looking at the present
Today, the Philippines depends on private pharma and international suppliers for necessary vaccines and sera for disease control. Which in the case of today's COVID19 pandemic, has to depend on China's State-owned Sinovac, Sinopharm, Cansino; US-based Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, and Moderna; and Britain's AstraZeneca. Once, President Duterte bragged that he will reward half-a-million pesos to Filipinos attempting to produce a local COVID19 vaccine, however, this was downplayed by critics as a political placebo making false hopes during the early months of the pandemic. The pandemic also involved some medical con-men like the case of "Fabunan Antiviral Injection", whose creator claimed that "can treat dengue, chikungunya, dog bite, snakebite, and HIV/AIDS." Fabunan also claimed that his creation can cure if not immunise Coronavirus- only to be dismissed as a "joke" with government authorities clarifying that the "vaccine" as not approved by the Food and Drug Administration citing its unproven claims to be "safe and effective" regardless of those who "supported" Fabunan's creation; nor dismissed by the Indonesian authorities by telling that “there hasn't been anything granted” to produce that said vaccine as claimed by Fabunan's supporters.
In the case of the RITM, it became part of their role as a research and treatment facility for diseases to continue the role of the former BPS, however, in the case of COVID19 pandemic its role seemingly limited to those of testing for COVID19 cases. Recently, in a post brought by Architect Lico showing Filipinos donated Vaccines and Sera to the Chinese before WW2, it seemed that since China today afforded to create its own vaccines via Sinovac or Sinopharm, how come the Philippines that once produces its own vaccines and sera didn't continue doing it? For sure it is the part of the RITM to continue what the former BPS did according to its charter. Or is it because of the typical present government view that the state shouldn't interfere with the market? Come to think that state-supported vaccine production was suspended in 1996, and if it did "continued" then how come it didn't pursue continuously? Is it because of budget constraints, or some government personality or a clique decided not to interfere what the market offers?
In fact, three decades ago, a "national drug policy" was enunciated by the Department of Health despite the fact that the country pursues its neoliberal economic agenda. The policy was meant to resolve the lack of raw materials in the production of vaccines, sera, and other drugs by means of local alternatives. And according to the policy, one of the pillars was to achieve relative self-reliance in the manufacture of strategic pharmaceutical products, while the objective was to develop the capacity to manufacture the necessary pharmaceutical chemicals (i.e. intermediates and basic) in pursuit of making the country less reliant on foreign sources and avoid the detrimental effects and vagaries of such dependence. And locally speaking, antibiotics such as ampicillin, amoxycillin, and clocacillin were locally produced while other raw material requirements for pharmaceutical production remained imported.
But this maximisation didn't stop neoliberalism to prevail especially in the pharmaceutical industry. state-sponsored Vaccine production remained suspended, as the government rather pursue importing vaccines from abroad. Wouldn't be surprised if the policy was also treated as a "milking cow" by scrupulous officials pretending they're "concerned" about development, what more of the lives of the people wanting vaccines to prolong life.
For now the government continues its neoliberal tendency that seriously affects the pharmaceutical industry. And as for the old facility in Alabang, it was lucky that it wasn't been leveled to the ground unlike other art deco/or prewar structures in Metro Manila. The building, long dilapidated after its former occupant moved to a larger facility had since languished in silence, and was reduced to a dark curiosity amid high-rise structures and upscale malls. Last 2009, in line with the company’s expansion plans, Filinvest Alabang Inc. (FAI) president Josephine Yap made the crucial decision to save the entire BPS building—not just its façade—and have it integrated into the new wing of Festival Supermall as a move towards adaptive reuse. At present, the building is being restored to its former stately grandeur, with portions of it possibly being turned into a museum.
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