A local startup firm in Cebu developed a comprehensive and customizable system that would allow HR groups to devote more time to developing and planning programs related to career advancement, skills development as well as the creation of an ideal workplace for their employees.
Called Payruler, this web-based application is tailor-fit for HR process automation of different businesses in the country. The project is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through a grant under the business incubation program.
Payruler is a startup company supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that provides web-based application tailor-fit for HR process automation of different businesses in the country. (Screenshot from the Payruler website)
This innovation answers the common dilemma of the HR department that spends a great deal of their time on administrative tasks instead of actual strategizing, creating, and planning for the company and its most valuable resource.
Co-founder Timmy de Jesus said that Payruler would minimize or eliminate some clerical and manual work of the HR staff and allow them to focus instead on the role of being a strategic business partner.
She shared that a study from Stanford School of Business indicated that 60% of the time of HR staff is spent on administrative tasks and other filing activities and only 40% is devoted to actual creation of strategies and planning for the company.
“When we created Payruler, our overarching goal is to take care of all repetitive administrative things so that our HR people could focus more on strategic things,” said de Jesus in her interview in one of the episodes of ExperTalk Online that is broadcast in the DOSTv Facebook page last month.
Payruler has customizable modules that cover the employee’s life cycle. These are Hire for Recruitment, Identify for Employee Information, Track for Timekeeping, Compute for Payroll, Employee for Self-service, and Analyze for Analytics Purposes.
De Jesus shared that currently, Payruler has more than 100 companies in Metro Manila and Cebu that are now using and enjoying their services and platforms.
Meanwhile, as most of the areas in Metro Manila and Cebu are still under the community quarantine which limits the movement of the people, Payruler’s web login feature has supported the work from home arrangement of their clients during the pandemic.
De Jesus also shared that they are also planning to integrate a contact tracing app in their system called WeTrace. It is a community tracing app that can be used for patient mapping, case reporting, and location tracking.
“Some of our clients are asking us when we go back to the office after all the work from home stuff, how can we ensure that our employees are safe? That is the reason why we would like to integrate WeTrace in our app to add another layer of protection of the employees of our client.” explained de Jesus.
DOST’s role on Payruler’s growth
De Jesus shared that the essential part of their growth as a company when DOST helped them is to have a conducive environment for developing innovative and game-changing ideas.
“DOST has been at different points in the life of Payruler. Aside from providing us our first home, they opened the doors for us in terms of opportunities to build game-changing products for our client through a grant they offered us,” said de Jesus.
From 2018 to 2019, Payruler has received a research grant from the DOST-Technology Application and Promotions Institute (TAPI) under Technology Innovation for Commercialization (TECHNICOM) program.
Currently, the said company is housed at the Cebu Business Incubator in IT (CEBUNIT) in the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu that is also supported by the DOST- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). By Allan Mauro V. Marfal, DOST-STII
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OPISYAL NA PAHAYAG UKOL SA VACCINE CLINICAL TRIALS Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña Department of Science and Technology
Magandang araw po sa ating lahat.
Ito ay may kaugnayan sa mga katanungang patungkol sa COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. Bago po ang lahat, muli po naming nililinaw sa publiko na ang pangunahing layunin ng DOST, sa gitna ng pagsisikap na magbigay ng solusyon sa COVID-19 gamit ang siyensya, ay protektahan ang kaligtasan ng mga Pilipino laban sa sakit na ito.
Patungkol sa usaping bakuna at clinical trials, nais ko pong bigyang diin na bago pa man maaprubahan ang anumang clinical trial sa Pilipinas, ito ay dadaan sa mabusising pag-aaral upang siguruhin na ang bakunang gagamitin sa trials ay nakapagpakita na ng ebidensya na ito ay ligtas at mabisa sa mga naunang bahagi ng human clinical trials, o ating tinatawag na Phase I at Phase II clinical trials.
Sino ang pangunahing tututok sa Vaccine Clinical Trials na gaganapin sa Pilipinas?
Matatandaang noong ika-22 ng Mayo 2020, binuo ang Sub-Technical Working Group (Sub-TWG) on COVID-19 Vaccine Development sa pamamagitan ng IATF Resolution No. 39. Ang Sub-TWG on COVID-19 Vaccine Development ay pinangungunahan ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) kasama ang mga sumusunod na ahensiya: Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at National Development Company (NDC).
Tungkulin ng ating Sub-TWG na:
- Pag-aralan ang mga rekomendasyon ng Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) na binuo ng DOST para suriin ang clinical trials ng iba’t ibang COVID-19 vaccine candidates na maaaring isagawa sa bansa, at tukuyin ang mga rekomendasyon na maaaring isakatuparan o italaga ng IATF for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
- Siguraduhing makabubuti para sa Pilipinas ang mga papasukin nitong pakikipag-ugnayan at tiyakin na magpapahintulot ng lokal na pagmamanufacture ng bakuna para sa COVID-19 sa pamamagitan ng pagtatakda ng mga pamantayan.
- Pag-aralan at siguraduhin ang maayos at mabilis na pagproseso ng mga requirements para sa pagsasagawa ng clinical trials ng iba’t ibang COVID-19 vaccine candidates sa bansa.
- Pangasiwaan ang pakikipagtulungan sa ibang bansa, at ang lahat ng clinical trials na maaaprubahang isagawa sa bansa.
Ano ang plano ng Sub-TWG para sa nalalapit na pagsasagawa ng vaccine clinical trial sa bansa?
Isa sa hakbangin gagawin sa paghanap ng bakuna laban sa COVID-19 ay ang paglahok sa WHO Solidarity Vaccine Trials. Ito po ay pangungunahan ng Philippine General Hospital. Sa kasalukuyan, nakapili ng labindalawang ospital sa NCR, Cavite, Cebu City, at Davao City para maging trial sites. Upang siguraduhin ang kaligtasan ng lahat ng bakuna na gagamitin sa isasagawang WHO ST, ang DOST ay bubuo ng Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC).
Bukod sa WHO Solidarity Vaccine Trials, patuloy rin ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng Sub-TWG sa mga bilateral partners na interesadong magsagawa ng clinical trials sa bansa. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon ng anim na pharmaceutical companies ang pumirma ng Confidentiality Data Agreement (CDA) na pahihintulutan ang ating VEP na mapag-aralan ang resulta ng kanilang Phase I at II clinical trials. Tatlo rito ay mula sa China: (Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Anhui Zhifei); isa ang mula sa Russia (Gamaleya); isa mula sa Australia (University of Queensland, CSL, and Seqirus); at isa rin mula sa Chinese Taipei (Adimmune Corporation).
Gayunpaman, kinakailangan pa ring magsumite ng kumpletong requirements ang mga kumpanyang ito sa Sub-TWG upang mapag-aralan at masigurado ang kaligtasan ng mga taong maaaring lumahok sa clinical trials.
Noong ika-3 ng Setyembre, inaprubahan rin ng IATF ang resolution No. 68 o ang Zoning Guidelines para sa COVID-19 Vaccine clinical trials. Upang masiguro na ang implementasyon ng clinical trials ay ayon sa pamantayang ito, magkakaroon ng kasunduan o Memorandum of Agreement sa pagitan ng DOST at ng DILG. Layunin ng MOA na ito na siguruhin ang partisipasyon ng local government units (LGUs) sa implementasyon ng maayos at sistematikong clinical trials sa iba’t ibang lugar sa bansa, partikular na sa Metro Manila.
Totoo ba na magkakaiba ang pahayag ng DOST, DOH, at FDA ukol sa vaccine clinical trials?
Upang maiwasan ang pagkalito ng publiko, ang mga ahensyang nabanggit, ang DOST, DOH at FDA, bilang miyembro ng Sub-TWG on Vaccine Development, ay may kani-kaniyang tungkulin at mandato para masiguro na ligtas at sumusunod sa pamantayan ang pagsasagawa ng clinical trials sa bansa.
Ang DOST, DOH, at FDA, bagama’t may kanya-kanyang adhikaing makahanap ng bakuna laban sa COVID19, ay aktibong nagpupulong-pulong upang pag-usapan at ayusin ang plano hinggil sa vaccine trials.
Ang DOST at DOH ay patuloy na nagbibigay ng mga pahayag ukol sa mga nakatakdang clinical trials na gaganapin sa bansa, at palagi pa ring nagpapaalala na papayagan lamang isagawa ang mga clinical trials sa bansa kapag aprubado na ito ng FDA. Kaya’t mapapansin ninyo na hanggang sa ngayon ay wala pang kahit anong clinical trial na sinisimulang gawin sa bansa sapagkat ang FDA, ay wala pang anumang aplikasyon na inaapbrubahan sa kadahilanang patuloy pa rin sinusuri ang mga aplikasyon na isinumite.
Muli ay ipinaalam sa publiko na lahat ng hakbang na ginagawa ng DOST patungkol sa vaccine clinical trials ay alinsunod sa FDA guidelines. Patuloy pa rin ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng DOST sa FDA, ukol sa requirements at mga hakbang na kinakailangang sundin ng international partners bago makapagsagawa ng vaccine trials sa bansa.
Ano ang malinaw na responsibilidad ng bawat ahensya sa nalalapit na clinical trials?
Bagamat marami na ang multilateral at bilateral partners na nakakausap ng DOST, lahat ng COVID-19 vaccine clinical application ay susunod sa proseso na inaprubahan ng Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development, kung saan kinakailangan ipasa sa Sub-TWG ang intensiyon para magsagawa ng clinical trial at ang kaukulang requirements, matapos nito ay irereview ng Vaccine Expert Panel at Ethics Review Comittees at sa panghuli ng FDA na sya ding gagawad ng desisyon kung papayagang isagawa ang clinical trial:
DOST – Ang DOST ang tumatayong Chair ng Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development. Dahil nasa mandato din ng ahensya ang mga mga usapin ukol sa research, DOST din ang pangunahing ahensya, katuwang ang DFA, na nakikipag-ugnayan ukol sa bilateral partnerships na may kinalaman sa clinical trials. Nakikipag-usap din ang DOST sa mga lokal na pharmaceutical companies upang hikayatin silang mag-manufacture ng Covid-19 vaccines sa pamamagitan ng partnership sa mga foreign vaccine developers.
DOH – Ang DOH ay vice-chair ng Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development. Sa kabuaang aspeto ng health research, mag co-member ang DOH at DOST sa tinatawag na Philippine National Health Research System na itinalaga sa pamamagitan ng RA 10532 na may oversight sa direksyon ng health research sa bansa. Dahil dito, magkatuwang ang DOH at DOST sa mga bagay na may kinalaman sa clinical trials. Nasa ilalim din ng pangangasiwa ng DOH ang ilang mga ospital na maaring pagganapan ng trials at mga opisina na maaring may papel sa tinatawag na operational at logistics management ng clinical trials.
FDA – Ang Philippine FDA ay ang ahensya na nangunguna sa pagsusuri at pagaapruba ng aplikasyon ng pagsasagawa ng mga Clinical Trials sa bansa. Bilang isang regulatory agency, ang FDA rin ang pangunahing susubaybay o magmomonitor sa pagsasagawa ng mga clinical trial na kanilang bibigyan ng approval. May clinical trial man o wala na gagawin sa Pilipinas, ang FDA pa rin ang mangangasiwa sa mga aplikasyon ng mga kumpanya na nais magrehistro ng bakuna sa ating bansa para maibenta.
Ano ang pahayag ng DOST sa mga nauulat na COVID-19 vaccines sa black market?
Muli’t muli pong pinaaalalahanan ang publiko na wala pang aprubadong bakuna laban sa COVID-19. Bagamat ang DOST ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t-ibang bilateral partners sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagkasundo na makita ang datos ng pag-aaral sa kanilang dinidevelop na bakuna, ang paglagda sa Confidentiality Data Agreement o CDA, ay hindi nangangahulugan ng pagpayag o pagbibigay ng pahintulot na bumili sa anumang bakunang ilalabas o ipagbibili sa publiko ng hindi ito matagumpay na dumaan sa Phase III clinical trial sa Pilipinas at naaprubahan na ng FDA.
Ang DOST, kasama ang Sub-TWG on Vaccine Development, ay patuloy na nakikipag-ugnayan sa DOH at FDA upang makatulong sa paghahanap ng bakuna laban sa COVID-19. Sa tulong ng Sub-TWG, sinisigurado ng DOST na lahat nang clinical trials na isasagawa sa bansa ay daraan sa tamang proseso at masusing pag-aaral upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng lahat ng lalahok rito.
Pinaaalala sa publiko, para sa kaligtasan ng lahat, na ipaalam sa mga kinauukulan gaya ng Philippine FDA, Philippine National Police o National Bureau of Investigation kung may mapag-alamang impormasyon ukol sa mga napapabalitang kontrabandong bakuna na ipinagbibili.
Para sa tunay at tamang balita, pinapayuhan po ang lahat na sumangguni lamang sa mga mapagkakatiwalaang mapagkukuhanan ng impormasyon. Lahat ng kaalaman tungkol sa COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials ay maaaring mabasa sa website ng DOST-PCHRD, DOH at sa https://covid19.gov.ph/. Maaari din po kayong mag-email sa covid19vaccinetrialsph@gmail.com.
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Health & Safety First!
DOST prepares for WHO Solidarity Trials
Giving priority to the health and safety of those who will participate in the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Trials to find a vaccine for COVID-19, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is now looking into all the necessary preparations and safeguards.
“Masaya naming tinatanggap ang hamon na pabilisin ang paglabas ng vaccine laban sa COVID-19,” ani Secretary dela Peña. “Ngunit hindi namin ikokompromiso ang bilis para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan. Upang mapangalagaan ng husto ang kalusugan at kapakanan ng mga sasali sa vaccine trials ay masusing nakikipag-ugnayan and DOST sa ibat-ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan kagaya ng DOH, DILG at FDA.” (We are happy to accept the challenge to expedite the release of a vaccine for COVID-19 but we are not compromising safety for our people over speed. To fully safeguard the health and welfare of those who will participate in the vaccine trials, we are closely coordinating with the different agencies of government like DOH, DILG and FDA.)
DOST chairs the Sub-Technical Working Group (Sub-TWG) on COVID-19 Vaccine Vaccine Development created under IATF Resolution No. 39 that was issued on 22 May 2020. The Sub-TWG on COVID-19 Vaccine Development will be spearheaded by the DOST together with the Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Development Company (NDC). These agencies continue to plan the appropriate steps and measures to ensure that the process or roadmap for the vaccine trials will not adversely affect the participants.
Responsibilities of agencies involved in the vaccine trials
Despite the many multilateral and bilateral partners being considered by the DOST, the agency ensures that the COVID-19 vaccine clinical application adheres to the processes approved by the Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development. This, in turn, is endorsed to the Sub-TWG for processing of the necessary requirements and documents needed. Thereafter, it will be reviewed by the Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) and the Ethics Review Committees. The last step involves the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the authorized agency that will make the final decision who will be allowed to conduct the clinical trial. Individually, these agencies are tasked with the following:
DOST – DOST sits as the Chair of the Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development. Part of the mandate of the department is to conduct research. It is taking the lead to promote bilateral partnerships, together with the DFA, in relation to clinical trials. It is also working with DTI and NDC in encouraging local pharmaceuticals to consider local manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccines in partnership with foreign vaccine developers.
DOH – DOH acts as vice-chair of the Sub-TWG for Vaccine Development. The department is co-member of the DOST with regard to health research in line with the Philippine National Health Research System established through RA 10532. With this, the DOH and the DOST are partners with reference to clinical trials. The DOH is also tasked to oversee the hospitals that will join the clinical trials and other entities with connection to operational and logistics management of clinical trials.
FDA – The Philippine FDA is the lead agency that evaluates and approves applications for the conduct of the clinical trials in the Philippines. As a regulatory agency, the FDA will monitor the entities approved to conduct the clinical trials. With or without the vaccine trials, the FDA is the agency authorized to approve any vaccine that will be released and sold to the public.
Roadmap of COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
The first step to find a vaccine is the country’s participation in the WHO Solidarity Vaccine Trials that will be led by Dr. Jodor Lim of the Philippine General Hospital. To date, there were 12 hospitals identified in NCR, Cavite, Cebu City, and Davao City as trial sites. To ensure the safety of those who will participate in the vaccine clinical trials, the DOST created the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC).
Aside from the WHO Solidarity Vaccine Trials, the Sub-TWG is now coordinating with six pharmaceutical companies that signed the Confidentiality Data Agreement (CDA) allowing the VEP to study the results of their Phase I and II clinical trials. These companies are Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Anhui Zhifei from China; Gamaleya from Russia; the University of Queensland, CSL, and Seqirus from Australia; and Adimmune Corporation from Chinese Taipei.
The Sub-TWG still requires these companies to submit complete requirements and documents so they can study them extensively to ensure the safety of the participants to the clinical trials.
“Maraming balita din na kumakalat ukol sa vaccine trials na kailangang bigyan ng linaw. Tumutulong ang aming ahensya upang makagawa ng FAQs on Vaccine Trials kasama ang DOH,”dagdag pa ni Secretary dela Peña. “Ilalabas ito sa government website sa susunod na araw.” (There are some news circulating about the vaccine trials that need to be cleared. The agency is helping out to create FAQs on Vaccine trials together with the DOH and this will be released in government websites in the coming days.)
Because of the pandemic, there might be parties who will exploit the situation, so the public is advised to be extra careful since there is still no approved vaccine as the DOST continues to work closely with the Sub-TWG, DOH, and FDA for the clinical trials that will be conducted in the Philippines.
Black market vaccines, not approved
“Muli’t muli ang DOST ay nagpapaalala sa publiko na wala pang aprubadong bakuna laban sa COVID-19. Hinihikayat namin ang publiko, para sa kaligtasan ng lahat, na ipaalam sa kinauukulan gaya ng Philippine FDA, Philippine National Police o National Bureau of Investigation kung may mapag-alamang impormasyon ukol sa mga napapabalitang kontrabandong bakuna na ipinagbibili,” said Secretary de la Peña. (Time and again, the DOST reminds the public that there is still no approved vaccine against COVID-19. The pubic is encouraged, for the safety of all, to inform the Philippine FDA, Philippine National Police or the National Bureau of Investigation if they have any information about contraband vaccine that is being sold.)
The public is advised to consult or refer to reliable and official government sources of information regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials and visit the websites of DOST-PCHRD, DOH and https://covid19.gov.ph/. Inquiries can also be sent through email: covid19vaccinetrialsph@gmail.com for correct and accurate information.
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