FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
7 Jljl -4 :! c~ :41 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 970 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13 provides: 
Sec. 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive 
approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential 
goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable 
cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, 
disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free 
medical care to paupers. 
Prescription drugs represent one of the most frequently used medical care 
interventions in treating common, acute and chronic diseases. However, many Filipinos 
especially the elderly, are unable to afford necessary medications because of excessive 
persistent prescription drug price inflation. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish a prescription drug price monitoring commission 
that will study the cost of prescription pharmaceutical products in the Philippines and 
recommend plausible ways to make prescription drugs more affordable and cost-effective. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 9 7 0 - 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICE MONITORING 
COMMISSION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled. 
SECTION 1. Short Title.- This Act shall be known as the "Prescription Drug Price 
Monitoring Commission Act." 
SECTION 2. Establishment.- There is established a commission to be known as the 
Prescription Drug Price Monitoring Commission" (in this Act referred to as the 
"Commission"). 
SECTION 3. Duties of the Commission. 
(a) STUDIES- The Commission shall conduct the following studies: 
(1) A study on the cost of prescription pharmaceutical products in the Philippines. 
(2) A study on drug prices in other industrialized nations. 
(3) A study on the feasibility of establishing in the Philippines a pharmaceutical products 
price review board. 
(A) In conducting the study under subsection (a)(3), the Commission shall 


(i) assess the impact of such a board in other industrialized nations, such as United 
States, on containing the costs of prescription drugs and the introductory prices of new 
drugs; 
(ii) recommend how such a board might operate in the Philippines, including the 
membership of the Board: 
(iii) recommend guidelines that might be used by the board in determining whether 
prices or price increases for prescription drugs are excessive and whether the introductory 
prices of new drugs are excessive; and 
(iv) recommend incentives for drug manufacturers to price their products fairly in the 
Philippines. 
(b) REPORTS- 
(I) 
ANNUAL REPORTS- The Commission shall submit to the Congress an annual report 
(beginning on the third year after the enactment of this Act) which shall a include 
information and recommendations regarding national and international drug policy issues, 
such as- 
(A) trends and changes in prices for prescription and nonprescription drugs in the 
Philippines; 
(B) trends and changes in prices for prescription drugs in other industrialized 
nations, such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and countries of the 
European Union; 
(C) the availability and affordability of prescription drugs in the Philippines; 
(D) recommendations to make prescription drugs more affordable and cost 
effective; 
(2) SPECIAL REPORT- The Commission shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the 
Philippine Senate, the Committee on Trade and Commerce and the Committee on Ways 


and Means of the House of Representatives, by not later than 2 years after the enactment 
of this Act, a report on the study conducted under subsection (a)(3). 
SECTION 4. Membership. 
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT- The Commission shall be composed of 7 
members appointed as follows: 
(1) The President shall appoint three members. 
(2) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member. 
(3) The minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member. 
(4) The majority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member. 
(5) The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member. 
(b) QUAL1 FICATIONS- 
(1) IN -GENERAL- The membership of the Commission shall include the following: 
(A) Individuals with national recognition for their expertise in the fields of health care 
economics and quality assurance, medicine, pharmacology, pharmacy, and prescription 
drug. 
(B) Other health care professionals. 
(2) LIMITATION- No more than 2 individuals who are, or have been, in the full or 
part-time employ of a pharmaceutical company within one year from the date of 
appointment under subsection (a) may be appointed to the Commission at any time. 
(c) CHAIRMAN-The Chairman shall be elected by the members. 
(d) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT- Members of the Commission shall be 
appointed not later than one year after the enactment of this Act. 
(e) TERMS- 


(1) IN GENERAL- Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. 
(2) VACANCIES- A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the 
original appointment was made. 
(9 MEETINGS- The Commission shall meet af the call of the Chairperson or a majority of 
its members. 
(g) QUORUM- Four members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser 
number may hold hearings. 
SECTION 5. Technical Assistance- Upon the request of the Commission, the head 
of a government agency shall provide such technical assistance to the Commission as the 
Commission determines to be necessary to carry out its duties. 
SECTION 6. Termination. - The Commission shall terminate five years after the 
enactment of this Act. 
SECTION 7. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,