Gatchalian calls for expansion of VAT-free medicine list

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to widen the list of value-added tax (VAT)-exempt medicines to help ease the financial strain on Filipino patients.

“Walang Pilipino ang dapat mapagkaitan ng pagkakataong mapangalagaan ang kanilang kalusugan at makabili ng murang gamot (No Filipino should be denied the opportunity to safeguard their health and access affordable medicine),” Gatchalian said in a statement.

His call came in response to the recent inclusion of 19 additional medicines in the VAT-exempt list—a move he welcomed as a positive step toward more accessible healthcare.

“This move is a clear win for ordinary Filipinos, as it directly translates to reduced costs for essential medications, bringing much-needed financial relief and improving access to vital treatments,” he said.

The updated list forms part of the ongoing implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, which removes VAT on medicines for chronic and critical conditions.

Currently, the VAT-free drugs include those prescribed for illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, high cholesterol, mental health disorders, tuberculosis, and kidney disease.