Press Release
October 21, 2014

OFFICE OF SENATOR ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV
SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
20 OCTOBER 2014

Senate Bill No. 2436
C.R. 83
PHILIPPINE PHARMACY ACT OF 2014

Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies & Gentlemen:

Your Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization has the honor to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2436, under Committee Report No. 83 entitled: "An Act regulating the practice of Pharmacy in the Philippines, repealing for the purpose Republic Act No. 5921, the Pharmacy law, as amended, and for other purposes."

Mr. President, the current practice of Pharmacy profession in the country is governed by Republic Act 5921, which was enacted in 1969. Advances in science and technology, particularly changes in the health sector platform, coupled with the rapid expansion of the global economy, have made the 45-year old Pharmacy Law outdated, if not obsolete. Thus, it is imperative that we update this law to keep the practice of the profession abreast with these developments and to make it relevant to how it is practiced in the country. This is exactly what this measure intends to do.

This bill seeks to repeal Republic Act No. 5921 and replace it with a new law that is responsive to the current needs and practice of our professional Pharmacists. Specifically, this measure seeks to:

  • standardize and regulate pharmacy education;

  • regulate the registration and licensing of graduates of schools and colleges of pharmacy;

  • supervise, control and regulate the practice of pharmacy through the creation of a professional regulatory board to ensure excellent, globally competitive, and accountable practice of the same;

  • enhance professional competence through mandatory continuing professional development and research;

  • integrate the pharmacy profession through the accreditation of only one national professional organization which shall accept all registered pharmacists as members throughout duration of their practice;

  • provide for a foreign reciprocity provision which shall allow a foreign registered pharmacist to practice in the country; provided that his/her country of origin allows Filipino pharmacists to practice within its territorial limits .

In sum, the enactment of this measure is intended to complement the talent and competence of our professional pharmacists by providing them with an updated regulatory framework. This measure will also equip them with the necessary tools to further improve and maintain our vibrant pharmaceutical industry and provide them with the necessary competitive edge to be able to compete in the international arena, especially that the ASEAN integration will commence next year.

In view of the foregoing, I urge this august Body to support the early passage of this measure.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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