Philippines

Access to medicines in the Philippines is low compared to ASEAN standards, despite pledges by politicians to expand the coverage of the country's state-insurance provider, PhilHealth. PhilHealth provides very basic cover for only around half of the population. 40 percent of people never see a doctor in their entire lives. Clinics and hospitals are rare.

The exodus of healthcare workers to better opportunities overseas has reached such high levels that the Filipino Alliance of Healthcare Workers recently warned that the healthcare system faces ìimminent collapse.

Low rates of access to medicines are compounded by government impositions such as the VAT increase on medicines from 10 to 12 percent. Doctors' fees also now attract VAT.

The Philippines recently introduced a ëCheaper Medicines Bill' in order to reduce the price of drugs via price controls and parallel importation, but there has been little official discussion of government-lead price inflators such as tariffs and taxes. Tariffs alone can add 5% to the final price of medicines.