Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2278

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M, Velarde Jr., Jose L.. Atienza Jr. and
Irwin C. Tieng (BUHAY Party List)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Regarding a comment on Republic Act 9502 or The Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality
Medicines Act of 2008, an article in the UP Forum cited the observations made by Dr. Monet M.
Loquias from the Institute of Health Policy and Development Studies of the National Institute
of Health, According to Dr, Loquias, the lack of a self-reliant pharmaceutical industry has left
the country at the mercy of multi-national’s which have dominated drugs supply and pricing,
and even policy and practices through their powerful marketing machinery. She said that local
drug manufacturers still have to import ingredients from abroad and thus, cannot reduce prices
of medicines significantly. For cheaper medicines, she stated, the country is left with no other
option but to import them from countries such as India, which has its own thriving
pharmaceutical industry.

Consequently, in this kind of set-up, importation of active and inactive ingredients of drugs by
drug companies is widespread making their products vulnerable to containing subpotent or
superpotent concentrations of active ingredients, or having unknown inactive ingredients, or
being manufactured using methods that render the product impure.

Intending to improve the labeling standards in view of protecting the health of Filipino citizens,
this bill requires country of origin labeling on prescription and over-the-counter drugs because
we can never allow in this country that medications be the very source of illnesses.

Buhay Hayaan Yumabong proposed this Bill last 15% Congress and was referred to the
Committee on Health fof deliberation.

rnestly requested.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 2278

Introduced by Representatives Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr., Jose L. Atienza Jr. and
Irwin C. Tieng (BUHAY Party List)

AN ACT TO REQUIRE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING ON PRESCRIPTION AND
OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Transparency in Drug Labeling Act of
2013".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to protect the health of the public
by ensuring the quality of medications.

SEC. 3. Country of Origin Labeling for Drugs. - Labeling on prescription and over-the- counter
drugs shall require the following:

a) The identity of the manufacturing country of each active ingredient of the drug, listed in
descending order based on the percentage of the number of active ingredients in the final dosage
form manufactured in such countries;

b) The identity of the manufacturing country of each inactive ingredient of the drug, listed in
descending order based on the percentage of the number of inactive ingredients in the final dosage
form manufactured in such countries.

SEC. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Bureau of Food and Drugs, under the
Department of Health, shall formulate the necessary guidelines and promulgate rules and
regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall at any time be found to be
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not affected by such declaration shall remain in
full force and effect.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules or regulations inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its complete
lication in two (2) newspdpers of general circulation.