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A neophyte congressman is prodding the House of Representatives to launch an inquiry on the implementation of the decades-old Republic Act (RA) No. 9502 or the “Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008”, and RA No. 6675 or the “Generics Act of 1988”. 

AGRi Party-list Rep. Wilbert “Manoy” T. Lee said on Tuesday, Sept. 3 that the conduct of such review would help Filipinos make informed medical purchases and improve access to affordable and effective medications for all. 

He filed for this purpose House Resolution (HR) No. 1986. Incidentally, September is “Generics Awareness Month”. 

According to a study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), only seven percent of Filipinos know the correct definition of a generic drug while 48 percent believe generics were less effective. The study polled 1,000 respondents. 

Lee called these findings "worrisome" given that these two laws have been around for decades. 

"Hanggang ngayon, mas tinatangkilik pa rin ng marami ang di hamak mas mahal at branded medicines...Dapat mas agrisibo pa ang gobyerno sa pagsusulong ng wastong impormasyon at pagpapatupad ng batas para mapagaan ang pasanin ng ating mga kababayan," said the Sorsogon native. 

(Up to now, most people still patronize relatively expensive and branded medicines...The government should be more aggressive in spreading the correct information and in implementing the law in order to lessen our countrymen's burden.) 

Lee urged concerned agencies mandated by law such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), to conduct a continuous information campaign and education drive for the public and medical professionals regarding the equal efficacy of generic medicines to branded medicines, including information on usage, effectiveness, and contraindications. 

The lawmaker earlier welcomed Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Memorandum Circular No. 93-2024, which exempted 15 medicines for cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness from Value-Added Tax (VAT). 

Lee had filed House Bill (HB) No. 9924 or “VAT Exemption for Medicines Related to Cardiovascular Diseases Act”, which mandated DOH to issue a list of all drugs and medicines directly related to the treatment and regular medication of cardiovascular diseases that will be VAT-free.