Quezon City—The Board of Investments (BOI) presented key updates on the implementation of the Integrated Roadmap for the Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry (IRPPI) during the 2nd General Membership Meeting of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PCPI), underscoring efforts to strengthen local manufacturing, promote innovation, and expand access to quality medicines.
Making It Happen for PH’s Pharmaceutical Industry. BOI Exec. Dir. Dichosa presents updates on the IRPP at the PCPI’s 2nd General Membership Meeting at Seda Vertis North on Sept. 11, 2025. (Photo courtesy of PCPI)
Organized by the Philippine Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI), the meeting showcased a unified push for the growth of the pharmaceutical industry and medicine security in the Philippines. The meeting brought together key leaders from government and industry to advance shared goals for the country’s pharmaceutical sector.
BOI Industry Development Services (IDS) Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa presented the IRPPI to the attendees, which is the sectoral roadmap for pharmaceuticals. It was completed in 2022 and began implementation in 2023.
“In light of the many developments across the pharmaceutical value chain, we encourage the industry to work closely with the government to strengthen the industry to serve the population’s needs, especially in times of epidemics and pandemics,” Dichosa told the attendees.
“The local pharmaceutical market is huge, but sadly, the country is very much import-dependent. From 2019 to 2024, the Philippines saw a steady rise in pharmaceutical imports, peaking in 2021. Exports, on the other hand, remain almost nil relative to our imports and have been declining. For the 1st semester of 2025, exports have declined by 25% while imports increased by five percent compared with the same period of 2024,” Dichosa added.
Mainly, the IRRPI envisions that by 2030, the Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry will have a resilient and agile value chain that ensures pharmaceutical security for Filipinos and better health outcomes. The roadmap aims to significantly increase the capacity of local manufacturers to produce 60 percent of the country’s registered medicines and become leading producers of essential pharmaceutical products and services. It also seeks to strengthen and promote the Philippine pharmaceutical industry to become a global player in innovation and access.
According to Executive Director Halili-Dichosa, among the key updates in the roadmap is the issuance of Peza guidelines on the establishment of Pharmazones, which will serve as hubs for companies involved in various aspects of medical and drug manufacturing activities, especially in research and development, clinical testing, and trials. There is also the finalization of the Tatak Pinoy Strategy that includes pharmaceuticals as among the focus industries, the issuance of FDA Administrative Order simplifying the process for exportation of locally-produced pharmaceutical products, and the planned establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Atty. Paulo Luis G. Teston delivered a compelling address on the agency’s reform agenda, highlighting digital transformation, backlog reduction, and workforce expansion as key parts of the agency’s efforts to improve responsiveness and transparency.
For 2025, the Philippine pharmaceutical market is projected to generate nearly USD$2 billion in revenue. Definitely, there is more potential for the local pharmaceutical industry, especially since steady growth is expected to continue at an annual rate of 4.1 percent through 2029. This upward trend is expected to be largely driven by the increasing demand for generic drugs due to the government’s efforts to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all Filipinos. As the market expands, opportunities for innovation, investment, and broader access to essential medicines likewise expand — signaling a promising future for both public health and the pharma industry. PR