Cotabato Herbal Pharmaceuticals, Processing, Manufacturing and Research Plant

       In 1977, the National Science and Development Authority (NSDA), now the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), tapped the expertise of scientists and researchers from the government and private institutions to form a coordinated and mission oriented program. This program is called the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP).

       The NIRPROMP is a multi disciplinary, multi-agency effort participated by U.P. Manila, Los Baņos, Department of Chemistry and the Philippine Institute of Applied Chemistry of the Ateneo de Manila University. The activities of the program are coordinated by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the DOST. The NIRPROMP provided the scientific ground work for the further development of Herbal medicine in the Philippines. The body is also credited with the strengthening of the media campaign of the herbal medicines program. Their research, publications and seminar workshops gave more credibility to herbal medicine. The next research into commercially feasible technology to make herbal drugs widely efforts of NIRPROMP was to translate their successful available in dosified forms with consistent potency.

       Therefore the Department of Health adopted the technology and started building up three commercial scale plants in Cotabato City, Tacloban City and Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

       Hence, Cotabato Herbal Pharmaceuticals Processing Manufacturing and Research Plant (CHPPMRP) is the first, commercial scale government facility established to operate for the production of medicinal plants in dosage forms. With a capacity of two (2) million tablets per month, it can meet the needs of 1.2 million people for symptomatic relief of common ailment, like fever, cough and colds. Inaugurated November 15, 1988 by President Corazon C. Aquino and Dr. Eduardo T. dela Fuente as the Plant Manager.

       The CHPPMRP facility consists of buildings, machineries and equipment for drying and processing of raw materials, dosage manufacturing, quality control and animal pharmacological studies. The personnel are all local recruits who have been given special training in their respective technical jobs. The unit has 16 regular personnel who operate and manage the manufacturing plant. The Plant also has its own contractual workers to assist the staff in production and maintaining the herbal plant.

       Tablets produced by the plant are the following:

a.  Lagundi Tablet 300 mg for cough and asthma

b.  Sambong Tablet 250 mg as diuretic and anti-urolithiasis

c.  Tsaang-gubat Tablet 250 mg for intestinal hyper motility and abdominal colic

       The present site of the herbal plant is only temporary owing to the fact that it occupies an area within the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center. To date, the Province of Cotabato allocated seven-hectare land in Amas, Kidapawan City where the new pharmaceutical plant and plantation could be permanently established.

Address: Cotabato Herbal Pharmaceutical Processing and Manufacturing Plant
                L.R. Sebastian Road, 9600 Cotabato City

Telefax: (064) 421-1835