· 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 11 7 0 
Introduced by Senator 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. 
MANNYVIL AR 


i 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
Senate Bill No. 1170 
Introduced by Senator 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 guidelinesthat 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. 
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(b) REPORTS-
(1)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; 
(0) 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 ANO APPOINTMENT- The Commission shall be composed 
of 7 members appointed as follo~'s: 
(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) QUALIFICATIONS-
(1) 
(A) 
(B) 
(2) 
IN GENERAL- The membership of the Commission shall include 
the following: 
Individuals with national recognition for their expertise in the fields 
of health care economics and quality assurance, medicine, 
pharmacology, pharmacy, and prescription drug, 
Other health care professionals. 
LlMITATION- No more than 2 individuals who are, or have been, in 
the full or part-time employ of a pharmaceutical company within one 
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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. 
(f) 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, 
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