ROXAS: GOV'T WON'T BRING DRUG PRICES DOWN DESPITE NEW LAW

The government does not know when it can fully implement the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines law so it could finally bring down prices of expensive medicines, health officials admitted before the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Affordable Medicines.

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas, chair of the oversight committee, said the government appears to be indifferent to public concern that medicine prices have become prohibitive and has affected the quality of life of most Filipinos.

While Health Undersecretary Alexander Padilla promised the oversight committee that the Department of Health will try to come up soon with its list of the maximum retail price (MRP) for vital medicines, but failed to give a definite time when pressed for a more accurate date.

"Mukhang kakuntsaba kasi ng gobyerno ang mga malalaking kumpanya ng gamot kung kaya't hindi sila pursigidong ipatupad ang batas na ito," said Roxas, primary author of the Cheaper Medicines Law.

"Hindi natin ito papayagan, hindi natin ito pababayaan. Lalabanan natin ang pera at impluwensiya ng mga ganid na ito. Mahalaga ang kalusugan ng bawat mamamayan," he added.

Roxas noted that upon the enactment of the new law, some pharmaceutical companies have slashed their prices by 10 to 20 percent "but this is not enough. The law was crafted to bring down prices of medicines by as much as half of their current prices."

"Kailangang tanggalin natin ang mga bureaucratic obstacles nang sa gayun ay maging maayos ang pagpapatupad ng batas na ito," he said.

Also, the Visayan senator expressed disgust at the slow pace by which the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) imports its medicines. The PTIC said it takes six months before government's drug requirements are delivered because it allegedly does not have sufficient funding to hasten the process.

He also lamented that while the new law had allowed the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to now spend the income it generates from the licensing of drugs and food products to improve its services, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), however, has compelled the bureau to first check with it before the money could be spent.