RITM faces P170-M budget cut for 2022

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the Philippines' main COVID-19 testing center, faces a P170 million budget cut in its 2022 proposed budget.

RITM Director Celia Carlos appealed against this cut during House of Representatives deliberations, emphasizing the difficulty it would cause in continuing pandemic response efforts.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate questioned Health Secretary Francisco Duque about the budget reduction, highlighting RITM's crucial role in battling the ongoing pandemic.