Makabayan Bloc files bills to raise health budget, remove VAT on medicines

The Makabayan Bloc on Monday filed two bills that seek to boost public health funding and eliminate value-added tax (VAT) on essential medicines and nutritional products, BusinessWorld reported.

Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio, along with Party-list Reps. Sarah Jane I. Elago and Renee Louise M. Co, filed a bill that would mandate at least 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) to be allocated for the health sector. The measure aims to address chronic underfunding in public health and improve access to medical services, especially for low-income families.

The second bill proposes to remove the 12% VAT on essential medicines, medical devices, and nutritional products. The lawmakers argued that the tax burden makes life-saving drugs unaffordable for many Filipinos, and the exemption would significantly reduce out-of-pocket health costs.