The commitments were outlined in a public forum hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industries (PCPI) with the theme “Ensuring Medicine Security; Strengthening the Philippine Pharma Industry.”
Congress vows policy review, support for local pharma
Representative Ciriaco Gato, chair of the House Committee on Health, said lawmakers are pursuing a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach to address the pharmaceutical industry’s long-standing challenges.
“Regulatory bottlenecks, the prevalence of counterfeits, the high cost of production, and our reliance on imports are among issues that must be addressed,” Gato said.
“Congress will review executive issuances that restrict the local pharma industry from effectively delivering medicines that meet the health needs of Filipinos.”
Gato emphasized that legislative oversight will focus on enabling domestic manufacturers to compete with foreign suppliers and expand the country’s production base.
DTI sees opportunity in a $4.5-B market
Corazon Dichosa, executive director of the Board of Investments (BOI) under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), presented data showing that while the Philippine pharmaceutical market is valued at $4.5 billion with a projected 4.1 percent annual growth until 2029, local capacity remains weak.
Government data show the country has only 46 registered manufacturers compared to 650 importers, underscoring heavy reliance on imported medicines. Exports remain negligible.
Dichosa said this imbalance presents both a challenge and an opportunity for investment, innovation, and policy reform aimed at boosting local drug production.
FDA links medicine security to national resilience
For Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Paolo Teston, medicine security should be treated as a national resilience strategy as much as a public health concern.
“Ensuring access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines is as critical as safeguarding our food supply or our borders,” Teston said.
Teston said the FDA aims to streamline regulations to make local manufacturing more competitive while maintaining strict safety and efficacy standards.
“We will ease regulatory barriers without compromising quality,” he added. “Every tablet, capsule, or vial that reaches the Filipino people must undergo rigorous scientific review.”
Among the FDA’s current initiatives are digitalization efforts, reliance mechanisms with trusted international regulatory bodies, and the hiring of additional personnel to cut application backlogs.
Industry commits to stronger partnerships
PCPI president Dr. Lloyd Balajadia reaffirmed the private sector’s support for the government’s reform agenda, saying public-private partnership is the key to driving real progress.
“Only private-public partnership can drive progress — and with new leadership coming in, it’s possible,” Balajadia said.
He said local pharmaceutical development could also become a pillar of economic diplomacy, projecting the Philippine healthcare industry as a global growth driver much like the country’s overseas nursing workforce.
Balajadia also cited Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) as a potential game changer, allowing Philippine-made medicines to gain faster regulatory approval in ASEAN and other markets — a step that could turn the country into a regional pharmaceutical hub.
From import reliance to self-reliance
Medicine security became a national concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, when countries limited exports to secure domestic supplies. Despite that wake-up call, local pharmaceutical investment had been slow to gain traction — until now.
Stakeholders at the forum agreed that collaboration among Congress, regulators, and industry will be critical in achieving medicine self-sufficiency, lowering costs, and ensuring reliable access to quality drugs for all Filipinos. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
