Jamaine Punzalan

A pharmacy makes a sale in Quezon City on January 3, 2019. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

VAT-free medicines

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177579235437620190103-vat-medicines-pharmacy-MD-MD2_1387.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A pharmacy makes a sale in Quezon City on January 3, 2019. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>—<strong> </strong>Prices of medicines will remain unchanged at least until June, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday. </p><p>DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said pharmaceutical companies had assured him that there would be no immediate price increases. </p><p>“Kinausap namin ang pharma industry, ang promise nila hindi sila magtataas kasi hindi naman dumadaan sa <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/10/-losers-trump-slams-right-wing-commentators-who-oppose-iran-war-0812">Strait of Hormuz</a> yung mga gamot. Pero sabi nila hanggang June lang ‘yan,” Herbosa said in the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel. </p><p>“So it seems the inventory of our pharma industry is like a three month inventory and then when they order, sabi nila, tataasan na sila ng supplier. Kasi logistics yan. Ang logistics whether eroplano yan or barko gagastos yan ng <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/10/oil-prices-seen-falling-in-mid-april-0936">higher fuel cost</a>. So yun puwede nilang ipasa, some puwede nilang i-absorb so yun ang babantayan ko, yung second half of the year,” he added.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PRICE CAP?</strong></div><div> </div><p>Herbosa also added that there is legal basis to cap the price of medicines in case it is needed.</p><p>&quot;Actually meron-- now that the President declared a national energy emergency- May power siya. I can actually recommend to the President to put a price cap. Although we haven&#x27;t done that kasi hindi pa naman tumataas,&quot; he said.</p><p>Herbosa explained that so far, they have not made that recommendation as the pharmaceutical industry agreed to absorb additional costs. </p><p>&quot;In the meantime, the pharma industry has volunteered to absorb some of the cost. Kaya binabantayan namin. Ang binabantayan natin yung magsasamantala, na magtataas ng presyo nila na wala namang basis na tumaas.&quot;</p><p>The DOH chief noted that the country has enough supply of medicines. </p><p>He said he was doing a weekly monitoring of the 10 most commonly used medicines, which include anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetes, and anti-cholesterol drugs, to make sure that no one takes advantage of the situation. </p><p>According to Herbosa, there is a drug price monitoring index, which he discussed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the last meeting of the UPLIFT committee. The said committee was created by Malacañang to safeguard national interest and ensure stability of domestic energy and food supply. </p><p>The DOH, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and local government units monitor the prices of common medicines. </p><p>“Mino-monitor namin yan, nagsa-submit yung mga supplier, yung mga botika, yung mga pasyente, kung ano yung presyo ng mga gamot. At pinapublish namin yan. Makikita nyo ito sa e-Gov,” Herbosa said. </p><p>“I-click niyo lang yan. Kung may gamot kayong iniinom, makikita niyo yung pinakamalapit na drugstore, yung presyo nung gamot na pinakamura. So, ang sabi ko kay President, we do this only quarterly,” he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LOWERING MEDICINE PRICES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>To lower the cost of medicines, Herbosa said pharmaceutical companies can order in bulk. </p><p>“They can import by bulk and then reformulate it here. Some companies do that,” Herbosa said. “Binibili nila by bulk para mas mura. Tapos dito na lang ilalagay sa kapsula, lalagay sa bote.” </p><p>“‘Pag binili mo kasi finished product na naka-package na nakakahon na, mas mahal yun, 30 to 70 percent higher yun. But if you repack it here mas malaki ang profit margin nila and then may trabaho pa ang mga Pilipino. So that should help us,” he continued. </p><p>Herbosa is also encouraging companies, including foreign ones, to manufacture medicines in the Philippines.</p><p>“Yumayaman na tayo as a middle income country, sabi nila, so ang spending natin for medicine tumataas,” Herbosa said. </p><p>“Dati lagi ang sabi, maliit na bansa lang yan. Konti lang ang pera niyan sa gamot. Pero ngayon, bumibili na tayo ng PET scan, bumibili na tayo ng mga gamot para sa cancer, gamot para sa, so we&#x27;re now a market. So the next step is to encourage them to manufacture here. Magkaka-jobs pa.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ZERO BALANCE BILLING TO STAY </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>While DOH is also feeling the effects of soaring prices, Herbosa assured that the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/7/28/-areglado-na-marcos-touts-zero-billing-for-basic-accommodation-in-doh-hospitals-1753">Zero Balance Billing</a> would stay. Qualified beneficiaries will not need to shell out money if they are receiving basic care in DOH hospitals. </p><p>“Ako nagbabantay din sa expenditure. What will happen is nag-increase ako by 20 percent because of the Zero Balance Billing. So, I also need the cash from government. So, alam niyo naman, the cash is being realigned to ayuda for the, you know, jeepney drivers, 10% coupon, <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/9/gov-t-to-contract-puvs-provide-p10-l-subsidy-for-public-vehicles-until-mid-2026-1745">lower fares for the commuters</a>. So, maghihintay ako diyan. That means, ia-absorb namin with our own money and make sure everybody gets,” Herbosa said. </p><p>“Kumbaga, parang sa pamilya, ito ang pagkain natin eh. Hati-hati muna kayo. Medyo maliit muna yung piraso niyo. Pero, libre pa rin yan. Hindi ko papalitan yung Zero Balance Billing. Hindi pa rin ako maniningil,” he said.</p><p>He also mentioned that private hospitals held off from implementing a possible increase in the cost of their services. </p><p>The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) previously said some hospitals might have to hike their fees by around 5 percent due to the oil crisis. <strong>—With reports from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F7um3Zjo_KM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QulsuDz2AKU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>Prices of medicines will remain unchanged at least until June, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.</p>

Prices of medicines will remain unchanged at least until June, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

DOH: No medicine price hike until June

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DOH: No medicine price hike until June

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 10, 2026 11:43 AM PHT

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Updated April 10, 2026 03:34 PM PHT

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