Liberal Party’s Mar
Roxas is running for senator this coming 2019 mid term elections.
All the controversies,
scandals, and issues of graft and corruption is pretty much documented in all
our media outlets.
Issues that really
hound Roxas if we would rank the top two (2) are regarding the Super Typhoon:
Yolanda and the MRT Scandal. Both have really affected the Filipino people in
the most worst way.
Little that we know
that there is another issue that is tied to Roxas that affects the Filipino as
a nation as a whole.
 |
| Mar Roxas 'killed' the cheaper medicine law (photo credit to owner) |
In a Senate Press
release last February 23, 2010 then Nacionalista Vice-president candidate Loren
Legarda slammed Mar Roxas for “killing” the Cheaper Medicine law.
The story goes that in
July of 2009, authors of the Cheaper medicine bill urged Roxas to support the
move to reinstate provisions on automatic price regulation. This was opposed by
Roxas which was considered the ‘heart and soul’ of the House bill- it was the
one that could the full effect of reducing the prices of more or less 1,600 medicines
by at least 50 percent,"
"Mar's amendments
on the Cheaper Medicines Act killed the spirit of that law, and instead set a
limit to its mandate in regulating pharmaceutical companies' pricing
practices," Loren stressed then.
This issue has been
forgotten by the numerous issues that hounded the former senator and Department
of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior Local Government secretary.
Now that he is seeking
another elective national position, let this full quotation below of the Senate
press release be known for the reading public for public consumption and
knowledge.
LOREN: MAR
'KILLED' CHEAPER MEDICINES LAW
DAVAO CITY -
Nacionalista Vice-Presidential candidate Loren Legarda today scored LP bet Mar
Roxas for credit-grabbing the Cheaper Medicines Law when in fact it was Roxas
who "proposed amendments in the Senate Committee Report into such a way
that its original intention to ease consumers of the rising cost of medicines
was not fulfilled."
"Sabi sa
mga TV commercial ng ibang pulitiko dyan, mura na ang gamot. Pero ang mga
nakakasalamuha ko sa kampanya, nagrereklamo sa akin na ang mahal ng mga gamot.
Imbes na tuition fee ng mga anak nila ang ihihingi ng tulong sa akin, reseta ng
mga gamot ang dinadala nila sa akin (Other politicians' TV ads herald cheaper
medicines. But in my meetings with different communities, they still complain
of the rising cost of medicines. Instead of asking for financial aid for their
children's education, they bring me medical prescriptions)," Loren said.
In July 2009,
authors of the Cheaper Medicines Act in the House or Representatives urged
Roxas to support the move to reinstate provisions on automatic price
regulation. "Authors of the Act in the House noted that Roxas vehemently
opposed the automatic price regulation, which is the 'heart and soul' of the
House version because it could have reduced the prices of more or less 1,600
medicines by at least 50 percent," Loren said in response to a question by
members of the audience after her speech.
"Mar's
amendments on the Cheaper Medicines Act killed the spirit of that law, and
instead set a limit to its mandate in regulating pharmaceutical companies'
pricing practices," Loren stressed.
Loren cited
Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin and former Iloilo representative and now Vice Gov.
Rolex Suplico as having said Roxas "must realize that such provision is
key to bringing down the country's prices of medicines and not his previous
proposal to exempt the importation of drugs and medical equipment from the 12%
VAT and other duties." As a physician, Garin said this proposition of
Roxas was contradictory to their suggestion to create a Drug Price Regulatory
Board to regulate the prices of medicines.
The
Department of Finance also shot down Roxas' proposal under Senate Bill (SB)
3128, citing an estimated annual revenue loss of P5.57 billion. SB 3128 seeks
to exempt the sale and importation of drugs, medicines, pharmaceutical products
and related raw materials, and medical, dental, and hospital equipment and
instruments from VAT and tariff and import duties.
"12% is
nothing compared to the more than 50 percent reduction in prices of medicines
if we adopt the original version we filed," Loren said, citing quotes
members of the House who urged Roxas to amend his insertions to the bill. The
National Tax Research Center (NTRC) also pointed out that Roxas' proposal would
not be a surefire formula to lower the prices of medicines and other
pharmaceutical products.
"With
Mar's contentions on this law, the government could lose P792.53 million in
duties and taxes and another P4.778 billion from VAT slapped on imported
pharmaceutical products and equipment brought in yearly. The NTRC also said
that from VAT on drugs and medicines alone, the revenue loss would be P2.883
billion annually while the VAT take from the pharmaceutical industry is valued
at P1.894 billion for a total VAT loss of P4.77 billion," Loren explained.
What can you say about
this?
Share us your thoughts
by simply leaving on the comment section below. For more news, updates, feel
free to visit our site often.
Stay updated with
today's relevant news and trends by hitting the LIKE button.
Thanks for dropping by
and reading the post
Report from Senate Press release
0 Comments