House bill seeks VAT-free status for heart maintenance drugs

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MANILA, Philippines — AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee is pushing for making maintenance medicine for heart and blood ailments exempted from the value-added tax (VAT) to make these cheaper and more affordable.

In his House Bill No. 9924 or “VAT Exemption for Medicines Related to Cardiovascular Diseases Act,” Lee said that having a heart ailment was not a joke, especially for those experiencing financial difficulties.

“Aside from the ailment, it really hurts the pocket. The steep cost of the needed operation and the expensive maintenance medicine could cause [one’s] blood pressure to go even higher,” he said.

Lee noted that many Filipinos with heart ailments fail to regularly take their maintenance medication while others just stop taking them altogether because of their high prices.

Rep. Wilbert Lee. Photo from congress.gov.ph

“Healthy heart, happy life. Let’s make every day Valentine’s Day for those with heart ailments. Let’s lessen their burden by making medicine cheaper and affordable,” he said.

Lee cited a World Health Organization report that identified cardiovascular diseases as the top cause of death globally.

He also pointed to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which showed that from January to July 2023, ischemic heart disease was the leading cause of death in the country, accounting for over 65,000 or 19 percent of total deaths.

A PSA 2022 report likewise showed that 5.7 percent of total deaths in the Philippines were due to hypertensive illnesses.

“With VAT exemption [for] medicine and drugs related to cardiovascular diseases, we envision cheaper, accessible and more affordable [medication] for all Filipinos … for their heart disease,” Lee said, as he called the move “responsive to the health needs and problems of Filipinos.”

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He stressed that making these types of medication VAT-free was “essential for the treatment and recovery of many of our countrymen with heart diseases.”

Under the bill, the Department of Health will issue a list of VAT-exempt medicines directly related to the treatment and regular medication of cardiovascular diseases.

These include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism.