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Ejercito urges support for establishment of virology institute: Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito urges his colleagues to support a bill seeking the establishment of a virology institute in the country. Ejercito, who authored Senate Bill No. 1161 or an act establishing the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP), said the country should improve its operational efficiencies, ramp up its research and be prepared for diseases of the future. “Emerging diseases have caused us much grief. The pandemic is the best example. We had to do creative surgery on the 2020 Budget so we could fund our recovery,” Ejercito said during a public hearing conducted by the Committee on Science and Technology Wednesday, April 24, 2024. He said the Senate should give the VIP treatment to the Virology institute because it is a crucial piece in the fight against viral diseases. “Let us lockdown our colleague's support for this bill because prevention is always better than the cure. And proactive research is always better than reactive decision-making,” Ejercito stressed. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)