Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Malig: Cheaper medicines bill still in limbo By Jun A. Malig Cognition
IT IS hoped that the House of Representatives would pass the bill before Congress takes its Christmas break on December 21.
As expected, the House of Representatives envisioned by advocates of parliamentary unicameral form of government to remain as the only august legislative body in what ought to be more expeditious system of passing and execution of laws and policies -- has again failed to pass the Cheaper Medicines bill.
While the Senate version of the bill was already passed by the Upper Chamber on final reading twice within the year (under the 13th and 14th Congress), bickering and disagreements among the honorable congressmen continue to hinder the passage of the highly significant piece of legislation.
Makati Representative Teodoro Locsin has blamed Cebu City Representative Pablo Garcia for delaying the passage of the proposed Cheaper Medicines Act of 2007, now known as House Bill (HB) 2844.
HB 2844 is the consolidated version of the 21 House bills seeking to reduce the "exorbitant" prices of medicines in the country. These include the bills filed by Representative Ferjenel Biron (HB 01); Eduardo Gullas (HB 307); Antonio del Rosario (HB 1199); Teodoro Locsin (HB672); Arthur Pingoy (HB 717); Junie Cua (HB 764); Prospero Nograles (HB 951); Dato Arroyo (HB 1706); Monico Puentevella (HB 1244); Ana Theresa Hontiveros-Baraquel (HB 954); Jose Antonio Roxas (HB 1654); Justin Chipeco (HB 1381); Raul del Mar (HB 1398); and Joseph Emilio Abaya (HB 1758).
Pampanga third district Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. has filed HB 2174, that seeks the creation of a drug price regulatory board "that will monitor the prices of medicines and can fix the maximum retail prices of essential drugs."
Locsin said for three consecutive days the other week, Garcia voiced out his objections to HB 2844. "He is the only obstacle. Lahat ng provisions gusto niya i-amend. He's delaying the passage. Right from the start he is saying that the bill is badly crafted," the Makati solon was quoted by a national newspaper as saying.
He said the bill could have been approved last week had it not been to the constant interpellations of Garcia.
One of the co-authors of HB 2844, Iloilo Representative Janette Garin, expressed dismay over the body's failure to pass the bill last week. "Ever since, Garcia had been causing these unnecessary delays. We have even formed a seven-man committee who tried to talk to him in presenting his proposed amendments to the bill but he declined saying he has no time to put them in writing," the senator said.
Garcia denied that he was opposed to providing cheaper medicines to the people, saying that his intention was to improve the bill and make it "more meaningful and effective."
"It is entirely wrong and unfair to say that I am opposed to providing cheaper medicines to our people. I'm raising my objections and proposing amendments precisely in order to improve the bill and make it more meaningful and effective," Garcia said.
Another "objectionable feature" of the bill, as claimed by Garcia, is the creation by the bill of a "bureaucratic super-body to be known as the Drug Price Regulation Board." This provision is not found in the Senate version of the bill.
It is hoped that the House of Representatives would pass HB 2844 before Congress takes its Christmas break on December 21.
The Senate passed its version of the bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1658 or the Quality Affordable Medicines Act of 2007, on final reading last Oct. 2. The measure is being supported by the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the World Health Organization (WHO), Oxfam and the Ayos na Gamot sa Abot Kayang Presyo (Agap).
The bill aims to ease patent laws and bring in more affordable medicines from abroad to spur competition and bring down prices.
