Senator Mar Roxas launches MurangGamot.Com

Just this week, Senator Mar Roxas launched a new website called "MurangGamot.Com" as part of his continuing advocacy for quality and cheaper medicines.

The site is still new. It informs the people about what Republic Act No. 9502 or the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008" is and its benefits, provides a price list of 12 common medicines in the Philippines and most of all, the list of all Botika ng Bayan branches in the country.

You can also contact them to share your thoughts about Senator Roxas' new website for cheaper medicines or ask questions.

Don't hesitate to call or text Senator Roxas' cheaper medicines hotline at 0917-MAROXAS (6276927) for more information. Let's nag the government to have more Botika ng Bayan and implement the said law. Visit www.muranggamot.com for more details.

"The government is slow in implementing the law. That's why we need to persist in pressuring the government to implement it now... The Arroyo government has been in power for eight years. In fact, the Estrada government has put in place a program for quality and affordable medicines. We should not prolong the people's pain any longer. The law must be implemented now" - Senator Mar Roxas

Saturday, February 14, 2009 | posted in barangay health corps, botika ng bayan, cheaper medicines bill, doh, health, mar roxas, philippines | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas calls for Botika ng Bayan accessible to every barangay

For quality and affordable medicines to be truly accessible to the poor, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas called on the government and private sector to invest in establishing drugstore outlets accessible to all 45,000 barangays.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce stressed that prices of medicines in the Philippines remains among the highest in the region - including the 11 vital drugs that each Filipino should have access to.

“Kulang na kulang pa ang mga Botika ng Bayan. Kasabay ng pagpapababa sa presyo ng gamot, kailangan din nating siguruhing may mapagbibilhan ng mga gamot na ito (We have too few Botika ng Bayan outlets nationwide. Together with the fight to lower medicine prices, we should also ensure that these medicines are easily accessible to the public),” he said.

“Kailangang itulak pa ang pagpaparami ng mga Botika ng Bayan. Kulitin natin ang gobyerno na maglaan ng pondo rito. Manawagan din tayo sa pribadong sektor na magpundar sa layuning ito (We should push for more Botika ng Bayan outlets. Let’s continue to call on the government to allocate funds for this. Let’s also call on the private sector to invest in this cause),” he stressed.

Roxas, primary author of the Universally Accessible, Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, said that cheaper versions of the 11 vital drugs–which are up to 90% cheaper than branded counterparts–should be promoted and made available to all parts of the country.

For instance, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) costs P27.30 per 50mg capsule, while it could be sourced at only P1.50 per capsule. Antiox (Mebendazole) costs P60 per 500mg tablet, while it could be sourced at only P4.50 per tablet.

The Ilonggo senator pointed out that at present, there are about 1,800 Botika ng Bayan outlets nationwide. However, he pointed out that the number of existing Botika ng Bayan outlets is only more than half of the government’s own target of 3,300 outlets in 2010, as indicated in the National Statistical Coordination Board’s Statistical Indicators on Philippine Development.

“Panawagan nating magkaroon ng 18,000 pang Botika ng Bayan para mailapit talaga sa taumbayan ang mabisa at abot-kayang gamot. Kung kaya nga nating bawat isa sa 45,000 barangay sa bansa, bakit hindi natin gawin? (We call for at least 18,000 more Botika ng Bayan outlets so that quality and affordable medicines are within reach by the people. If we can even put in place a drug store in each of the 45,000 barangays in the country, let’s DOH it),” he said.

Botika ng Bayan are privately-owned retail drug outlets where cheaper medicines purchased by the Philippine International Trading Corp. through parallel importation and other means are sold.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 | posted in botika ng bayan, cheaper medicines bill, doh, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, pitc, president | 3 comments [ More ]

Senator Roxas to DOH: Set maximum retail price of medicines

The Department of Health (DOH) can moderate prices of medicines and make vital drugs more affordable to the people as laid down by the provisions the new Cheaper Medicines law, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said today.

Roxas pointed out the Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 gave the DoH the authority to establish maximum retail prices for important medicines, such as maintenance drugs, sold in pharmacies nationwide.

"Kailangang siguruhin ng DoH na maayos nitong maipatutupad ang batas. At dahil binigyan ito ng karapatang kontrolin ang presyo ng mga gamot na ibebenta sa mga botika, sana ay hindi ito magpadala sa mga lobbying o impluwensiya ng malalaking kumpanya ng gamot na tuloy-tuloy ang pagharang sa pagpapatupad ng batas (The DOH should make sure that it can properly implement the law. Since the law gave it the power to control prices of medicines, it should not be swayed by the lobbying of big drug companies who have always fought against the law)," he said.

He reminded the DoH that "the government is the representative of the people. The only people you must be fair to are the consumers of medicines" and not the big pharmaceutical farms who have been actively lobbying against the enactment and administration of the law.

"The big pharmaceutical companies can take care of themselves. They have their lawyers, accountants, lobbyists, so they can take care of themselves. Precisely the government is there, to balance out their interests, precisely in favor of the consumers," he said.

The Ilonggo senator said the DoH can set a maximum retail price for medicines prescribed in government hospitals and by public doctors.

"May kakayahan ang DoH na sabihin sa lahat ng government hospitals, you can only buy medicines that are within this price band. Tapos, dito sa Philhealth, mag-reimburse lang sila sa medicines that comply with this price band ng sa ganoon (The DoH can tell government hospitals to buy medicines only within this price band. It can also tell Philhealth to reimburse only medicines that comply with the set price band of the DoH), then the market power of the government can be used to moderate prices," he said.

He added medicines sold in Botika ng Bayan outlets nationwide should also be subject to the maximum retail price set by the health department.

The Ilonggo senator recalled that when during his stint as secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry he opened the Botika ng Barangay outlets, the prices of vital medicines were really very cheap.

However, after his term ended, he lamented the then newly-opened Botika ng Bayan stores upped the prices, dismaying the public and prompting them to go back to buying their medicines from big pharmacies that sold expensive drugs.

"Kaya parang nawala yung direksyon ng Botika ng Bayan (That was why the Botika ng Bayan seemed to have failed). For the system and the government to continue to allow the charging of expensive medicine is in the nature of qualified theft. We are allowing the taking of this money from poor people's pockets for what they can't afford, when in fact an equivalent but cheaper medicine is already available," he said.

"Marami sa mga sinasabi ng gobyerno ay propaganda lang. Mayroon ngang Botika ng Bayan, wala namang gamot, walang supply. Mayroong sinasabing ganito, ganoon, wala namang implementasyon. Kailangan nating kulitin, kalampagin ang gobyerno, para maisakatuparan itong Quality Affordable Medicines Law (Many of what the government is saying are mere propaganda. There maybe Botika ng Bayan outlets but many of these do not have medicines, they do not have supplies. They say one this and that but they're really not administering the law. That's why we have to rattle the government and demand that it properly implements the Quality Affordable Medicines law)," he said.

Sunday, January 18, 2009 | posted in botika ng bayan, cheaper medicines bill, doh, dti, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Senator Mar Roxas' "Murang Gamot" TV Ad

Senator Mar Roxas has released a new TV Ad about his authored Cheaper Medicines Law. He also urged the people to nag the government to have more Botika ng Bayan and implement the said law.

Below is the video of the TVC:

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 | posted in botika ng bayan, cheaper medicines bill, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president | 1 comments [ More ]