Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reports that the average Filipino spent P2,024 
on medicines alone in 2018. This equates to P10,120 spent by a family of five and 
translates to gross sales amounting to P206.7 billion. 
PSA updated this figure in 2021, stating that on average, every Filipino spent 
P9,839.23 for health. This is 17 percent higher than the P8,411.52 per capita health 
spending recorded in 2020. 
The prohibitive price of health care in the Philippines results in self-treatment and self-
prescription, and those pose their own problems. The affordability of medicines is 
especially difficult for those who suffer from debilitating illnesses requiring 
maintenance drugs. Restraints on costs lead to irregular treatment and complications. 
This bill aims to introduce amendments to Republic Act 9502 or the Universally 
Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 in order to simplify the 
procedure of lowering prices of essential medicines. It proposes to establish a Drug 
Price Regulatory Board, which will be tasked to, among others, regulate the prices of 
drugs and medicines in the country. 
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 22, 2023
11:39 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE DRUG PRICE REGULATORY BOARD TO REGULATE THE 
PRICES OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES IN THE PHILIPPINES AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9502, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
"UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE CHEAPER AND QUALITY MEDICINES ACT OF 
2008" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Chapter 3 of Republic Act No. 9502 will now be titled, "Drugs and 
Medicines Price Regulatory Board."  
Sec. 2. Section 17 to Section 22 of Republic Act No. 9502 will be amended to read as 
follows: 
SECTION 17. CREATION AND COMPOSITION OF THE DRUG PRICE 
REGULATORY BOARD. –  
(A)
THERE IS HEREBY CREATED THE DRUG PRICE REGULATORY
BOARD, WHICH SHALL BE ATTACHED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND COMPOSED OF SEVEN (7) MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:
(1)
SECRETARY OF HEALTH OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED
REPRESENTATIVE AS CHAIRPERSON;
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(2) 
SECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY OR HIS DULY 
DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE AS VICE CHAIRPERSON; 
(3) 
DIRECTOR, FOOD AND DRUGS ADMINISTRATION OR HIS 
 
DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE AS MEMBER; 
(4) 
CHAIRMAN, 
PHILIPPINE 
HEALTH 
INSURANCE 
CORPORATION AS MEMBER; 
(5) 
ONE (1) ECONOMIST FROM THE ACADEME AS MEMBER; 
AND 
(6) 
TWO (2) REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONSUMER 
SECTOR AS MEMBERS. 
 
(B)  
THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD REPRESENTING THE ACADEME 
AND THE CONSUMER SECTOR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE 
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SHALL SERVE FOR A 
TERM 
OF 
TWO 
(2) 
YEARS: 
PROVIDED, 
THAT 
THE 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONSUMER SECTOR SHALL NOT 
BE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT FOR ANOTHER TERM. 
 
SECTION 18. POWERS OF THE BOARD. – THE BOARD SHALL HAVE THE 
FOLLOWING POWERS: 
 
(A) 
POWER TO DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM RETAIL PRICE OF DRUGS 
OR MEDICINES SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION – 
 
(1) 
UPON APPLICATION OR MOTU PROPIO WHEN THE PUBLIC 
INTEREST SO REQUIRES, THE BOARD SHALL HAVE THE POWER 
TO REGULATE THE RETAIL PRICES OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES 
LISTED UNDER SECTION 19 HEREOF, INCLUDING THEIR DOSAGE 
FORM AND PACKING, AND, IN ORDER THAT THEY SHALL BE 
MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT AFFORDABLE RETAIL 
PRICE FROM THE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, 
TRADERS, DISTRIBUTORS, WHOLESALERS OR RETAILERS AND 
AFTER A PROPER DETERMINATION AS THE BOARD MAY DEEM 
FIT, FIX FROM TIME TO TIME, BY PUBLICATION THE MAXIMUM 


 
RETAIL PRICE AT WHICH SUCH FORMULATIONS SHALL BE 
SOLD; 
 
(2) 
NO RETAILER SHALL SELL DRUGS AND MEDICINES AT A RETAIL 
PRICE EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM RETAIL PRICE FIXED BY THE 
BOARD: PROVIDED, THAT UNTIL THE MAXIMUM RETAIL PRICE 
OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION IS 
FIXED BY THE BOARD, THE RETAIL PRICE THEREOF SHALL BE 
THE PRICE WHICH PREVAILED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE 
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT AND NO MANUFACTURER, IMPORTER, 
TRADER, DISTRIBUTOR, WHOLESALER OR RETAILER OF SUCH 
DRUG OR MEDICINE SHALL SELL THE SAME AT A RETAIL PRICE 
EXCEEDING THE PRICE PREVAILING IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE 
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT. 
 
FOR PURPOSES, HEREOF, DRUGS AND MEDICINES SHALL INCLUDE 
BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO SINGLE- AND MULTI-INGREDIENT MEDICINES 
INCLUDED IN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL DRUG FORMULARY (PNDF) 
ESSENTIAL DRUG LIST AND SOLD UNDER THEIR GENERIC AND BRAND 
NAMES. 
 
(B)  
POWER TO INCLUDE OTHER DRUGS OR MEDICINES IN THE LIST 
SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION – UPON APPLICATION OR 
MOTU PROPIO WHEN THE PUBLIC INTEREST SO REQUIRES AND 
AFTER PROPER DETERMINATION, THE BOARD MAY ORDER THE 
INCLUSION OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES TO THE LIST SUBJECT 
TO PRICE REGULATION UNDER SECTION 19 THEREOF. 
 
(C) 
POWER TO IMPLEMENT COST-CONTAINMENT AND OTHER 
MEASURES – 
 
(1) 
THE BOARD SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DETERMINE THE FAIR 
PRICE OF DRUGS OR MEDICINES FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC 
HEALTH INSURANCE AND GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT; AND 


 
 
(2) 
THE BOARD SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO IMPLEMENT ANY 
OTHER MEASURES THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY AVAIL OF TO 
EFFECTIVELY REDUCE THE COST OF DRUGS OR MEDICINES 
THAT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COMPETITIVE 
BIDDING, 
PRICE-VOLUME 
NEGOTIATIONS, 
AND 
OTHER 
APPROPRIATE 
MECHANISMS 
THAT 
INFLUENCE 
SUPPLY, 
DEMAND, AND EXPENDITURES ON DRUGS AND MEDICINES. 
 
(D)  
POWER TO IMPOSE ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND PENALTIES – 
AFTER DUE NOTICE AND HEARING, THE BOARD SHALL HAVE 
THE POWER TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE THE LICENSE TO 
OPERATE (LTO), PROFESSIONAL OR BUSINESS LICENSE, AS 
THE CASE MAY BE, OF ANY PERSON, MANUFACTURER, 
IMPORTER, TRADER, DISTRIBUTOR, WHOLESALER, RETAILER, 
OR ANY OTHER ENTITY, AND IMPOSE ADMINISTRATIVE FINES IN 
SUCH AMOUNT AS IT MAY DEEM REASONABLE WHICH SHALL IN 
NO CASE BE LESS THAN FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) 
NOR MORE THAN FIVE MILLION PESOS (P5,000,000.00) FOR 
VIOLATIONS OF THE MAXIMUM RETAIL PRICE FIXED PURSUANT 
TO THIS SECTION. 
 
Sec. 3. Delete Section 19 to Section 22 and renumber the succeeding sections 
accordingly. 
 
Sec. 4. The renumbered Section 22 will be amended to read as follows: 
 
SECTION 22. DISPLAY OF PRICE FIXED BY THE BOARD FOR DRUGS OR 
MEDICINES SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION. – 
 
(a)  
Within a reasonable period as may be determined by the [Secretary of 
the Department of Health] BOARD, and Provided, That it conforms to 
existing drug product labeling requirements, every manufacturer, 
importer, distributor, wholesaler, trader, or retailer of a drug and 


 
medicine intended for sale shall display the retail price which shall not 
exceed the maximum retail price [approved by order of the President of 
the Philippines] FIXED BY THE BOARD. The maximum retail price shall 
be printed on the label of the immediate container of the drug and 
medicine and the minimum pack thereof offered for retail sale with the 
words "RETAIL PRICE NOT TO EXCEED" preceding it, and "UNDER 
DRUG PRICE REGULATION" on a red strip: PROVIDED, THAT IN 
CASE OF A CONTAINER CONSISTING OF SMALLER SALEABLE 
PACKS, THE RETAIL PRICE OF SUCH SMALLER PACK SHALL 
ALSO BE DISPLAYED ON THE LABEL OF EACH SMALLER PACK 
AND SUCH PRICE SHALL NOT BE MORE THAN THE PRO-RATA 
RETAIL PRICE OF THE MAIN PACK ROUNDED OFF TO THE 
NEAREST CENTAVO. 
 
(b)  
Within a period as may be determined by the [Secretary of the 
Department of Health] BOARD from time to time, every manufacturer, 
importer, or trader shall issue a price list to wholesalers, distributors, 
retailers and to the [Secretary of the Department of Health] BOARD, 
indicating the retail price, the maximum retail price, and such other 
information as may be required by the [Secretary of the Department of 
Health] BOARD. 
 
Sec. 5. Insert a new Section 23 and renumber the succeeding sections accordingly. 
The new Section 23 shall read as follows: 
 
SECTION 23. DISPLAY OF PRICE LIST OF DRUGS OR MEDICINES 
EXCLUDED FROM THE LIST SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION. – EVERY 
MANUFACTURER, IMPORTER, TRADER, DISTRIBUTOR, WHOLESALER, 
OR RETAILER OF A DRUG OR MEDICINE EXCLUDED FROM THE LIST 
SUBJECT TO PRICE REGULATION UNDER SECTION 19 HEREOF SHALL 
DISPLAY IN INDELIBLE PRINT MARK ON THE LABEL OF THE IMMEDIATE 
CONTAINER OF THE DRUG OR MEDICINE AND THE MINIMUM PACK 
THEREOF OFFERED FOR RETAIL SALE, THE WORDS "NOT UNDER 
PRICE REGULATION" ON A GREEN STRIP. 


 
 
Sec. 6. Chapter 8 on Miscellaneous Provisions will be amended to read as follows: 
 
CHAPTER 8: AMENDMENTS TO REPUBLIC ACT 9994 OR THE EXPANDED 
SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 2010. 
 
SECTION 42. EXEMPTION OF DRUGS AND MEDICINES UNDER PRICE 
REGULATION FROM THE "EXPANDED SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 2010." 
– DRUGS AND MEDICINES UNDER PRICE REGULATION AS FIXED BY 
THE BOARD WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE GRANT OF TWENTY 
PERCENT (20%) DISCOUNT AND EXEMPTION FROM THE VALUE-ADDED 
TAX (VAT) TO SENIOR CITIZENS AVAILING THE PROVISIONS OF 
REPUBLIC ACT 9994 OR THE "EXPANDED SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 
2010." 
 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. – Any portion or provision of this Act that may be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions 
and provisions hereof as long as such remaining portions or provisions can still subsist 
and be given effect in its entirety. 
 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations and 
administrative regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly. 
 
Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,