Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative LORDAN G. SUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Pandemics and outbreaks left trail of deaths and destructions in human, animal and 
plant populations. They brought health systems to their knees and stalled economies. They 
disrupted social order and forebode an uncertain future, for all. 
Since the beginning of the 20th century, we saw major outbreaks of viral diseases. 
One of the most severe outbreaks was the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 where mortality 
reached fifty million people. The H2N2, a strain of the influenza virus hit Singapore in 1957 
and spread to China, Hongkong, the United Kingdom and the United States. More than a 
million lives were lost to this Asian Flu. The Hongkong Flu, a strain of influenza known as 
H3N2 hit Hongkong in 1968. It spread worldwide and killed an estimated one million 
people. In 2002, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus was spotted 
in southern China triggering a global alert from the WHO by 2003. Nearly eight hundred 
people died of SARS in China and Hongkong. The H1N1, also known as swine flu spread in 
Mexico and United States in 2009. Between one hundred fifty-one thousand to five hundred 
seventy-five thousand people across seventy countries died of this virus. In 2012, Middle 
East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was detected in the Arabian Peninsula and by 2015, it 
reached South Korea. The fatality rate was relatively high. 
Though smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 
1980, it is worth mentioning that it fatally downed a third of its victims. The same with 
polio which resurged in 2014 after it was eradicated in the 1950s. 
The cholera pandemic which originated in Indonesia is the longest pandemic 
afflicting many countries, until today. Around 3M million people are infected each year and 
it is still considered endemic in nearly 50 countries. 
The Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome or HIV and its advanced stage, AIDS was 
reported in 1981. Today, nearly forty million individuals have HIV/AIDS, two-thirds of 
whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Millions died of this disease. 
In 2014, Ebola was detected in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It even reached 
several European states and the US. Eleven thousand people died of this virus. In 2018, the 
Democratic Republic of Congo declared an Ebola outbreak. More than two thousand people 
died of Ebola until it was declared eliminated in 2020. 
Malaria still kills a hundred thousand people every year and dengue is still 
considered endemic in a hundred countries, worldwide. Dengue infection which occurs 
mostly in Asia is considered one of the most difficult infectious diseases to eliminate. The 
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Zika virus which was first discovered in Uganda in 1950 was spotted in Brazil in 2015. A 
year after, WHO declared an outbreak after reaching sixty countries. 
The world panicked when COVID-19 hit us. By 2020, the world economy stalled. As 
of this year, 636,957,835 cases were reported and 6,620,906 have died. In the Philippines, 
the reported cases are 4.6M with 64,500 fatalities. 
 
Viral diseases also affected livestock, aquaculture and plantations. In 2014, our 
country’s shrimp production was reduced due to the white spot syndrome virus. The 
tilapia production was likewise hit by disease in 2017. In 2019, we were affected by the 
African swine flu and in 2020 by the H5N6 influenza A virus. The papaya ringspot virus 
also hit us in 1994. 
 
The country incurred billions of pesos in trade loss due to these viruses. The 
economic gains we laboriously worked on for several years were reduced, if not totally 
decimated. Lives were senselessly wiped out.  
 
When will this end? Nobody knows. We just have to keep in mind that the increasing 
trade among countries, booming tourism industry, easing of travel between states and 
sprouting of denser communities in urban areas are conducive environments for the 
spread of infectious diseases. We cannot isolate ourselves even if we want to. What we 
must learn is we cannot remain reactive every time these viruses come to our doorstep. We 
need to prepare in order to protect our people, as well as the resources that sustain us. We 
need a proactive stance on this matter.  
 
The national government has already earmarked the fund to establish the Virology 
Institute of the Philippines. In fact, it already undertook preparations to make this Institute 
come to fruition. The ball is now in our court.  
 
In view of the foregoing and underscoring the urgency of this matter, the passage of 
this Bill is earnestly, sought. 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                  HON. LORDAN G. SUAN 
                                                                                                                                                1st District 
                                                                                                                                       Cagayan de Oro City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative LORDAN G. SUAN 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE VIROLOGY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Virology Institute of the 
Philippines (VIP) Act.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right 
to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. The State recognizes 
that science and technology are essential for national development and progress. 
To this end, the State shall formulate and implement policies that shall address current 
health issues, such as the quality and adequacy of health and medical human resources, 
health institutions, and delivery of health services, and shall give priority to research, the 
development and promotion of innovations in both technology and services, the use of safe 
and indigenous health-promoting practices, and their appropriate utilization by the health 
sector. 
In this regard, the State shall prioritize the establishment of an institute that will conduct 
in-depth studies on viruses and their potential disease-causing agents that affect people, 
plants, and animals, in order to provide the scientific bases for the treatment of viral 
diseases, and for the formulation of policies that shall prevent the transmission of these 
diseases within the community and national context. 
SEC. 3. Objectives. – This Act seeks to establish a virology institute that shall focus on the 
following key development areas for virology science and technology applications in plants, 
animals, and humans: 
(a) Research on viruses using a modern approach such as molecular biology and its
application or biotechnology;
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(b) Development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics; 
 
(c) International cooperation and network of databases of virus infections; 
 
(d) Operation of a virus gene bank, virus genome laboratory, and virus reference 
laboratory to focus on viruses circulating in the Philippines for disease prevention 
and epidemiological studies; and, 
 
(e) Operation of a virus high containment laboratory dedicated to the study of highly 
infectious and highly pathogenic viruses. 
 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
 
(a) Bacteriophage refers to any group of viruses that infect specific bacteria, usually 
causing their disintegration or dissolution; 
 
(b) Biosafety refers to a condition in which the probability of harm, injury, and damage 
resulting from the intentional and unintentional introduction or use of a regulated 
article is within acceptable and manageable levels; 
 
(c) Biosecurity refers to the strategic and integrated approach to analyzing and 
managing relevant risks to plant, animal, and human life, health, and associated 
risks to the environment. It is based on the recognition of the critical linkages 
between sectors and the potential for hazards to move within and between sectors, 
with system-wide consequences; 
 
(d) Diagnostics refer to methods, tests, techniques, and tools in viral diagnosis for 
plants, animals, and humans; 
 
(e) Therapeutics refers to anti-viral, bacteriophages, nanotechnology treatment 
approach, nucleic acid-based treatment, remedial agents, and drugs for the 
treatment of viral diseases and infections of plants, animals, and humans; 
 
(f) Vaccine refers to a product that induces or stimulates active acquired immunity by 
producing antibodies to a specific infectious agent. It helps the body's immune 
system to recognize and fight pathogens like viruses or bacteria; and 
 
(g) Virology refers to the scientific discipline concerned with the study of the biology of 
viruses and viral diseases of plant, animal, and human medical importance and 
pandemic potential, including the distribution, pathogenicity, viral cytopathicity, 
biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, ecology, tropism, 
spillover or interspecies transmission, evolution, and clinical aspects of viruses. 
 


SEC. 5. Creation of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines. - 
The Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP)is hereby created 
and shall be an attached agency under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 
for purposes of policy and program coordination to ensure alignment in national policies 
and priorities. 
 
The VIP shall serve as the premier research and development institute in the field of 
virology, encompassing all kinds of viruses and viral diseases in plants, animals, and 
humans. It shall be a venue for scientists, research institutes, and other organizations in the 
Philippines and abroad, to work collaboratively to study viruses of agricultural, industrial, 
clinical, and environmental importance. 
 
SEC. 6. Mandate. - The VIP shall implement policies, plans, programs, and projects for the 
development of virology science and technology in the country and the promotion of 
scientific and technological activities for both the public and private sectors. It shall ensure 
that the results of these activities are properly applied towards self-reliance and utilized to 
accelerate economic and social development towards the protection of the citizens and 
resources. 
 
SEC. 7. Powers, Functions, and Duties. - To accomplish its mandate, the VIP shall have the 
following powers, functions, and duties: 
 
(a) Serve as the lead convener for the formulation of the National Virology Research 
Agenda, in consultation with all concerned stakeholders, that will encompass 
research involving viruses of plants, animals, and humans; 
 
(b) Undertake scientific and technological research and development in the field of 
virology; 
 
(c) Conduct product research and development in the areas of diagnostics, therapeutics, 
and vaccines in cooperation with the private sector and concerned government 
agencies; 
 
(d) Promote and undertake the transfer of the results of scientific research and 
development in collaboration with government agencies, industry, and the academe; 
 
(e) Promote, advocate and oversee virology research ethics, biosafety, and biosecurity; 
 
(f) Develop and maintain an information system on virology science and technology for 
use by both the public and private sectors; 
 
(g) Develop and implement, together with other entities concerned, programs for 
strengthening scientific and technological capabilities in virology and relevant 
disciplines through human resource development, infrastructure, and institution 
building, 
 


(h) Undertake policy research, technology assessment, and other related studies on 
virology; 
 
(i) Provide laboratory and technical services on virology; 
 
(j) Promote and advocate the national programs on virology science and technology; 
and, 
 
(k) Establish linkages with local and international partners. 
 
SEC. 8. Organizational Structure. - The VIP shall be headed by a Director and two (2) 
Deputy Directors for Research and Development, and Support, Policy, and Linkages. 
 
The VIP shall be composed of the following divisions: 
 
1. Virus Research 
 
2. Diagnostics and Therapeutics Research 
 
3. Vaccines Research 
 
4. Technical Services and Training 
 
5. Policy, Planning, and Linkages 
 
6. Finance and Administration. 
 
The Deputy Director for Research and Development shall oversee the operations of the 
Virus Research, Diagnostics and Therapeutics Research, and Vaccines Research Divisions. 
The Deputy Director for Support, Policy, and Linkages shall oversee the operations of the 
Technical Services and Training, Policy, Planning, Linkages, and Finance and 
Administration Divisions. 
 
The VIP shall have technical and administrative support staff and consultants. The 
consultants may come from the public and private sectors on a consultancy or contractual 
basis and shall be granted honoraria or allowances in accordance with existing rules and 
regulations. 
 
Subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the VIP shall 
determine its organizational structure, create new divisions or units as it may deem 
necessary, and appoint its officers and employees. 
 


For this purpose, the VIP shall, in consultation with the DBM, determine the necessary 
position qualifications and standards for its personnel following civil service laws, rules, 
and regulations. 
 
SEC. 9. Qualifications of the VIP Director and Deputy Directors. – Upon the 
recommendation of the Governing Board, the President of the Philippines shall appoint the 
Director of the VIP who must possess a bachelor's degree in the field of microbiology and a 
postgraduate degree in virology, and should have at least three (3) years of experience in 
the field of diagnostic virology. The Director of the VIP shall have the rank of Director IV, 
Salary Grade (SG)-28, and shall exercise overall responsibility over the activities of the VIP, 
including the supervision of VIP staff. The Director of the VIP shall report to the President 
of the Republic of the Philippines and the Secretary of the Department of Science and 
Technology the results of the various diagnostic assays and research studies undertaken by 
the VIP. 
 
Each of the Deputy Directors of the VIP shall have a rank of Director III, SG-27. Each must 
possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology or in a similar field at least a Master’s Degree 
in Virology. 
 
SEC. 10. The Governing Board. - The Governing Board shall be the policy-making body for 
the scientific and technological activities of the VIP, composed of the following: 
 
Chairperson: 
a) Secretary of the DOST; 
 
Co-Chairpersons: 
b) Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH); 
c) Secretary of the Department of Agriculture; 
 
Members: 
d) Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; 
e) Undersecretary for Technology for Research and Development of the DOST; 
f) Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for International 
Economic Relations; 
g) Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); 
h) Director of the Research Institute for Tropical Medical Medicine (RITM); 
i) Director General of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); 
j) Director of VIP; 
k) Executive Director of the University of the Philippines-National Institute of Health; 
l) Representative from the National Academy of Science and Technology; 
m) Representative from the National Research Council of the Philippines; and 
n) Three (3) representatives from the private sector appointed by the President of the 
Philippines, as nominated by the Governing Board. These representatives shall have 


distinguished themselves in the fields of medical virology, genomics, plant virology, 
animal virology, epidemiology, genetic engineering, and other related disciplines. 
 
The VIP Secretariat shall serve as the Secretariat to the Governing Board. 
 
SEC. 11. Transfer of Units, Offices and Functions. - All offices and units under the DOST 
system which functions are related to virology shall be transferred to the VIP. 
 
All powers, functions, assets, capital, records, funds, receivables, equipment and facilities of 
the DOST units or its division shall be transferred to the VIP. The DOST shall conduct an 
audit and inventory of assets, liabilities and human resources of the transferred offices and 
units under the DOST system to the VIP. All transferred and new employees under the 
DOST System shall be subject to the qualification standards provided for in the laws, rules 
and regulations of the Civil Service Commission. 
 
SEC. 12. Engagement of Balik Scientists and Foreign Experts. - The VIP may engage the 
services of Balik Scientists and foreign experts who shall work together with the local 
scientists and experts, following the terms of reference and compensation structure in 
accordance with Republic Act No. 11035 or the "Balik Scientist Program Act" and other 
existing laws. 
 
SEC. 13. International Cooperation. - The VIP shall establish strategic partnerships with 
the world's leading scientists, virology centers, and institutes, and conduct innovative and 
pioneering researches that will advance the frontiers of virology in the country. It may 
enter into a memorandum of agreement or understanding with international partners, 
upon the approval of its Governing Board and in compliance with existing laws, rules, 
regulations, and issuances of the DFA. The DFA shall provide legal and other forms of 
assistance to the VIP. 
 
The Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Philippines shall also be 
consulted upon approval of the Governing Board of the VIP. 
 
SEC. 14. Interdepartmental Cooperation - The VIP shall collaborate with the DOH, 
Department of Finance, FDA, RITM, and other relevant government agencies, in accessing 
and mobilizing available information, reports, technical expertise, equipment, materials, 
and supplies as may be required to implement this Act. 
 
The scientific findings of the VIP shall be integrated into other plans relating to disease 
control and prevention and in the plans of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging 
Infectious Diseases, as created by Executive Order No. 168 s. 2014, or its successor body, 
for the management of public health emergencies relating to infectious diseases. 
 


SEC. 15. Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs). - The Department of Trade and Industry 
(DTI), the DOH, the Public-Private Partnership Center, and the DOST shall collaborate in 
seeking Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) for the development of new industries, 
products, and services where the VIP shall be the main research and development unit. 
 
The DOST may also request the assistance of other national and local government agencies 
in seeking PPPs where the VIP shall be the main research and development unit. 
 
SEC. 16. Promotion of Virology Industry. - The DOST, in partnership with the DTI and the 
DOH, shall jointly develop an industry roadmap for products and services that can be 
created, improved, or optimized by research from the VIP. As far as practicable, the 
industry roadmap shall include the use of local materials in the development of new 
products. The industry developed or established resulting from the VIP research shall be 
included in the national government's priority industries for incentives. 
 
SEC. 17. Promotion of Knowledge-transfer and Research in the Academe. - The VIP shall 
promote the creation of hubs and programs for virology research and development in the 
academe, particularly in state universities and colleges (SUCs). Towards this end, the VIP 
shall assist SUCs in the creation of virology courses and programs, open internships and 
scholarships for qualified students of higher education institutions (HEIs), and collaborate 
with HEIs in the creation of virology research centers. 
 
The CHED shall collaborate with the DOST in the promotion of HEI-VIP partnerships. 
 
SEC. 18. Protection of VIP-developed Intellectual Property. - The Governing Board of the 
VIP shall ensure that all technologies developed exclusively by the VIP with full funding 
from Filipino taxpayers shall be protected by intellectual property laws in accordance with 
Republic Act No. 10055 or the "Technology Transfer Act of 2009” and other applicable 
laws. Any patent or property right award granted to the VIP shall be held by and in the 
name of the Philippine Government. In the case of partnerships, where the VIP is a 
collaborating research partner, the Governing Board shall ensure that technologies co-
developed by the VIP shall also be co-attributed to the Philippine Government, with the 
corresponding intellectual protection. 
 
SEC. 19. Procurement of Specialized Materials, Equipment, and Services. – The VIP shall 
undertake the procurement of specialized materials, equipment, and services to be used by 
the VIP in its operation and administration, in the most expeditious manner, and adopt the 
most suitable or appropriate method of procurement that it deems fit based on its 
identified needs and requirements depending on the existing conditions and requirements 
that justify the use of a particular alternative modality provided for by Republic Act No. 
9184 or the "Government Procurement Reform Act" and its 2016 Revised IRR. 
 
SEC. 20. Official Site of VIP. - A lot with an area equivalent to at least five (5) hectares 
under the administration of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) 


within the New Clark Economic Zone in Tarlac Province shall be allocated exclusively for 
the VIP, its research facilities, and laboratories. The biosafety infrastructure shall be 
designed based on risk assessment standards and guidelines of the WHO for handling 
specific pathogens and the establishment of virology laboratories in developing countries. 
 
SEC. 21. Entitlement to Magna Carta Benefits. - Qualified employees of the VIP shall be 
covered by Republic Act No. 8439, otherwise known as "Magna Carta for Scientists, 
Engineers, Researchers, and Other Science and Technology Personnel in Government". 
 
SEC. 22. Virology Research Fund. - All donations, contributions, grants, bequests, or gifts, 
in cash or in-kind, received by the VIP from various sources shall be placed into a fund, to 
be known as the Virology Research Fund and such donations shall be exempt from donor's 
tax: Provided, That, acceptance of grants, bequests, contributions, and donations from 
foreign governments shall be subject to the approval of the President of the Philippines, 
upon the recommendation of the Secretary of DOST and the Secretary of DFA. 
 
SEC. 23. Authority to Solicit, Negotiate, and Receive Donations, Grants, Gifts, Legacies, 
Endowments, and Contributions. - The VIP may solicit, negotiate with, and receive from 
any public or private domestic or foreign sources legacies, gifts, donations, grants, 
endowments, contributions, or other transfers of ownership and/or possession of real or 
personal properties of all kinds in favor and for the benefit of the VIP, which shall all be 
part of the special account in the general fund. 
 
SEC. 24. Tax Exemptions. - Donations, grants, gifts, endowments, legacies, and 
contributions used actually, directly, and exclusively for the purpose of the VIP shall be 
exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as an allowable deduction from 
gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor, in accordance 
with Sec. 34 (H) (2) (a) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. 
Likewise, such other transfers of ownership and/or possession of real or personal 
properties of all kinds shall be exempt from all taxes. 
 
SEC. 25. Annual Report - The VIP shall submit its annual report to the President and to the 
Committees on Science and Technology in both Houses of Congress, not later than the 30th 
of March of every year following the effectivity of this Act. The annual report shall provide a 
full and detailed account of the status of the implementation of this Act and policy 
recommendations. 
 
SEC. 26. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There shall be a Joint Congressional 
Oversight Committee on the implementation of this Act, which shall be jointly chaired by 
the Chairpersons of the Committees on Science and Technology of the Senate and House of 
Representatives. It shall be composed of the Chairpersons of the Senate Committees on 
Health and Demography, and Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, the Chairpersons of 
the Committees on Health and Agriculture and Food of the House of Representatives, and 
two (2) Members from each House representing the minority who shall be appointed by 
the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 


 
SEC. 27. Appropriations. – The initial amount for the implementation of this Act shall be 
charged against the current year's appropriations of the DOST. Thereafter, the funding of 
which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 28. Transitory Provisions. – 
a. The functions and assets of the DOST units enumerated herein shall be transferred 
to the VIP within three (3) years without the need of conveyance and transfer of 
assignment. 
b. To the greatest extent possible and in accordance with existing laws, all employees 
of the affected offices, agencies, and units shall be absorbed by the VIP. Personnel 
hired on a permanent basis and with appointments attested by the CSC who may be 
affected by the transition of DOST units to VIP, or who will not be absorbed in the 
new positions of the new staffing pattern of the different offices in the VIP, shall 
have the option to: 
1. Be transferred to other units or offices within the DOST in accordance with civil 
service law, rules, and regulations; or, 
2. Avail of the applicable retirement benefits and separation incentives as provided 
under R.A. No. 6656 and other relevant laws. 
c. Incumbent DOST officials and employees may be considered to assume positions in 
the VIP, subject to a competency evaluation and CSC regulations. 
d. Research grants acquired during the transition of DOST transferred units to VIP 
shall be utilized solely for the grants' intended purposes for each of the affected 
units or offices. 
e. Existing contracts and agreements entered into by the affected offices with third 
parties prior to the enactment of this Act shall remain valid. 
 
SEC. 29. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DOST Secretary shall, in 
consultation with DBM, DOH, Civil Service Commission, and other relevant government 
agencies, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within one hundred twenty (120) 
days from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 30. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, other provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 31. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 32. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,