THE Cagayan De Oro City’s Price Coordinating Council (CPCC) formally met late last week with the regional health department and other attached government agencies to monitor all businesses engaged in selling basic commodities including medicines.

CPCC member and the Trade and Commerce committee chair Councilor George Goking even wanted the DOH and the pharmaceutical firms to work together to lower drug prices.

Goking said that under the Republic Act 9502, or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, the government makes medicines more accessible and affordable to Filipinos by enforcing provisions that improve market competition, availability, contain costs, improve healthcare provider and consumers behavior, and even regulate prices when instances so require.

"Lower drug prices will ease the financial burden on people buying medicines for maintenance and other treatments daily,” said Goking.

Goking said with the recent dialogue initiated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with the Indian government, the President himself convinced them to bring out their supplies to the market so that medicine prices will be affordable to ordinary people.

“The long-held dream of having vital medicines that are affordable to most Filipinos may yet be realized following the meeting of minds between President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India,” he said.

India is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of pharmaceutical products, according to Goking.

In that conversation, Modi expressed his desire to further expand longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries.

At the same time, he assured the President (Marcos) of India’s “full support in his plans and projects for the Philippines’ development,” which includes the local production of generic drugs.

Goking, said Pres. Marcos Jr., has also been initiating dialogues with local pharmaceutical companies in the country.

“Affordable medicines for ordinary people and the establishment of easy-to-reach hospitals and health centers for Filipinos living in far-flung rural areas are now among the priorities of the President,” said Goking.

He said the President noted the importance of having the healthcare system close to the community, especially in the rural areas lacking medical and health workers.

In 2020, the DOH reported that the country has around 3,900 primary care facilities. Of the tally, about 2,593 are Rural Health Units [RHUs] and/or health centers (HCs).

Goking added the plan to bring the health care system close to the people was initiated in the DOH’s Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) 2020-2040 under the Duterte administration.

Under Marcos administration, Goking said additional hospitals and health centers would be built where the existing medical facilities are too far from the populace.

Goking also explained that if there are more cheap generic medicines in the market, prices will be lower because of competition.

"The DTI will speak with interested manufacturers of generic drugs that will enter the country," said Goking.

He added that the President already ordered the Philippine Competition Commission on the equality and removal of a cartel among pharmaceutical companies because an open market would lead to lower medicine prices and health benefits for more Filipinos.

He said with the DOH region 10, through Department Circular No. 2022-0188, the CPCC also talked and informs all concerned stakeholders about the list of emergency essential medicines with suggested retail price (SRP).

Also Republic Act 7851, otherwise known as the "Price Act" according to Goking has been discussed.

"This was passed to enable the government to address the problem of monopolies, cartels, unfair competition and the hoarding of basic commodities, especially food," said Goking.