Sec. Teodoro Herbosa, Department of Health. | 黑料社 / Arnel Tacson
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� More people may now benefit from cheaper medicines following the government鈥檚 decision to exempt 聽21 medicines from the value-added tax (VAT), the Department of Health said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Bureau of Internal Revenue鈥檚 (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. announced that drugs now exempted from VAT are those for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, mental illness, and tuberculosis.
READ:
Courtesy of BIR Commissioner Romeo 鈥淛un鈥� Lumagui聽Jr.鈥檚 Official聽Facebook聽page
鈥淚 welcome that. Very important 鈥榶ung VAT exemption because that lowers the price of medicine,鈥� Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa told reporters on the sidelines of a media forum for the 2nd National Health Sector Meeting in Manila.
鈥淢as marami akong mabibigyan with the budget that legislation gives me so kung mura ang medicines because of removal of the VAT, malaking tulong yun,鈥� the health chief added.
READ:
(I can give more with the budget that legislation gives me, so if medicines are cheap because of removing the VAT, that鈥檚 a big help.)
The DOH was granted P1.7 billion from the 2024 national budget.
According to Lumagui, the VAT exemption is under Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 17-2024.