THE Unilab Foundation (ULF) has committed to support the development of pharmaceutical ecozones in the country, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said on Wednesday.
PEZA Director General Tereso Panga and ULF Executive Director Jose Maria Ochave signed an agreement which entails Unilab to help with pharma-specific competencies, adopt advanced production and quality systems, and enhance readiness for emerging drug technologies and evolving regulatory requirements.
These will enable ecozone locators to improve operational efficiency, elevate product quality and patient safety, and reinforce robust occupational health and safety standards aligned with global pharmaceutical standards, PEZA said in a statement.
Unilab will also drive workforce development through training programs for manufacturing firms in the ecozones.
Research and development (R&D) will likewise be pursued through joint projects that promote a highly skilled, future-ready Filipino workforce.
“We aim to attract more companies in pharma and workforce development, manufacturing and R&D to build an integrated value chain that advances the Philippines as a net exporter of pharmaceutical products, while helping lower the cost of medicines for Filipinos,” Panga said.
The pharma sector is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.1 percent through 2029, according to data from the Board of Investments.
The PEZA-Unilab partnership aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a globally competitive pharma sector in the country.
The Unilab Foundation, established in 2011 as the corporate social responsibility arm of the country’s largest pharma company, operates as a social innovation hub that develops evidence-based programs to address gaps in high-need but neglected areas of health care and education.
It provides assistance in mental health, Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics education, and equitable health care access.