‘Opening of Philippine pharmaceutical co’s subsidiary reflects increasing investor confidence in Pakistan’

ISLAMABAD: Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Emmanuel R Fernande said the opening of a Philippine pharmaceutical company’s subsidiary in Islamabad reflected increasing investor confidence in Pakistan and marked a positive development in expanding bilateral trade and healthcare cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of 2World Traders Pakistan, the ambassador said the establishment of a Philippine-registered pharmaceutical firm in Pakistan created new opportunities for collaboration in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, supply chains and healthcare services.

He noted that vaccines and biological products were critical components of resilient health systems and said private-sector initiatives could contribute meaningfully to public health while strengthening economic linkages.The Islamabad office was inaugurated by Abdul Razzaq Siddiq, Owner of 2World Traders Pakistan and President of Philippines-based 2World Traders Inc. The ceremony was attended by Dr Imran Yusuf, Honorary Consul General of the Philippines in Karachi; Dr Obaid Ullah, Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP); representatives of Shifa International Hospital, the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and the Dow Institute of Life Sciences (DILS), along with senior business and industry figures.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Obaid Ullah emphasized the importance of regulatory cooperation and harmonization to facilitate pharmaceutical trade while ensuring compliance with international quality and safety standards.

In his remarks, Abdul Razzaq Siddiq said the company aimed to support Pakistan’s healthcare sector by improving access to essential vaccines and biological products, promoting technology transfer and encouraging local manufacturing. He announced plans to import key vaccines, including Tetanus Toxoid, with an initial shipment of 10 million doses to help ease supply constraints.

He added that future initiatives included the local production of anti-rabies serum in collaboration with DILS, as well as the development of anti-cancer medicines and anti-snake venom serum, particularly for underserved areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

Founded in 1988, 2World Traders Inc. is a distributor of vaccines and biological products in the Philippines, with operations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, supported by cold-chain infrastructure and manufacturing collaborations in India and China.

The opening of the Islamabad office is expected to contribute to enhanced trade flows, regulatory coordination and healthcare collaboration between Pakistan and the Philippines, while supporting broader foreign investment inflows.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026