Tax bureau lists 20 more medicines exempted from VAT

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES on Thursday exempted 20 more medicines for cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, kidney disease, mental illnesses, and tuberculosis from value-added tax (VAT).

The move is part of the agency’s shift to a more service-oriented culture from a collection goal-oriented on, Internal Revenue chief Romeo Lumagui said in a statement.

“The VAT exemption of these medicines for cancer, hypertension, and mental illness is a step towards a healthier country,” he said.

Among the medicines for cancer exempted from VAT are Sonidegib as phosphate (200 mg), Pemetrexed as disodium heptahydrate (100 mg), Asciminib as hydrochloride (20 mg), Asciminib as hydrochloride (40mg), and Palbociclib (75 mg).

For hypertension, VAT-exempted medicines are Losartan Potassium + Amlodipine as besilate (100 mg/10 mg), Losartan Potassium + Amlodipine as besilate (100 mg/5 mg),  rbesartan + Amlodipine as Besilate (300 mg/5 mg), and Irbesartan + Amlodipine as Besilate (300 mg/10 mg).

Medicines for mental health that are VAT-exempted include Cariprazine as hydrochloride (1.5 mg), Cariprazine as hydrochloride (3 mg), Cariprazine as hydrochloride (4.5 mg), and Cariprazine as hydrochloride (6mg).

The bureau in January exempted 21 medicines for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, mental illness, and tuberculosis from VAT.

The move was in line with a provision under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended by the TRAIN Law and CREATE Act.