The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) President Diana Edralin assured the public that the country’s supply of medicines remains stable, amid ongoing global uncertainties.
During an interview on DZRH's Special on Saturday, Edralin said there is currently no cause for alarm, but emphasized the need for close monitoring—particularly of biologic medicines such as insulin, vaccines, and cancer treatments.
Edralin explained that biologics are highly dependent on imports, as the Philippines has yet to establish local manufacturing for these types of medicines.
“For biologics po, wala pa po tayong local manufacturing doon. Majority po… almost 100% po… inaangkat sa ibang bansa kasi wala pa po tayong manufacturing site,” she said.
“Whereas doon sa mga maintenance medicines, yung mga paracetamol, yung ibang antibiotics, meron naman po tayong local manufacturing doon,” she added.
She stressed that identifying which medicines are locally sufficient and which rely heavily on imports is crucial for national planning.
The PHAP official noted that global tensions in the Middle East could potentially disrupt the supply chain, particularly affecting transport routes. While most medicines are shipped by air, avoiding conflict zones may result in longer routes and possible delivery delays.
Despite these risks, Edralin said the situation has not yet significantly impacted local supply.
Biologic medicines, she explained, require longer production timelines—ranging from 12 to 24 months—making early demand forecasting critical to ensure adequate supply and prioritization in the global market.
"So ito po mga biologics na ito ay usually it takes 12 to 24 months to manufacture. So yan po yung una nating tinitignan kung magkakaroon o binabantayan na secure yung supply kasi kung hindi tayo magsasabi kung ilan po yung kailangan natin for the rest of the year and even for staff of 2027, eh potentially po hindi tayo mauna sa pila or hindi po tayo ma-prioritize," she said.
Edralin also highlighted rising operational costs, including increased jet fuel prices, which have affected shipping and distribution. Pharmaceutical companies have so far absorbed these additional costs as a temporary measure.
“Yung aming buffer or supply stocks usually lasts itong mga approximately lang po yung three months na ating sinasabi,” she said.
PHAP is aiming to develop sustainable strategies to secure both supply and pricing stability before June, in coordination with government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Finance (DOF).
Edralin emphasized that long-term solutions are necessary, noting that the continued absorption of rising costs by pharmaceutical companies is not sustainable.
“What we are hoping for, ang aming inaasahan sana bago mag-June, magkakaroon tayo ng long-term or sustainable solusyon," she noted.
"Not only thinking about the price, ang pinakamahalaga din po is paano mas secure yung supply na tuloy-tuloy. Kasi yan ho ang napakahalaga dahil marami po sa ating mga gamot ay ating ini-import sa ibang bansa,” Edralin added.
She also reassured the public that there is no need to panic.
“Unang-una hindi po kailangan magpanic. Meron po tayong sapat na supply ng gamot,” Edralin said. “But we must remain watchful and work together with the government to ensure a stable and secure supply in the long run.”
On Thursday, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa announced that medicine prices in the Philippines are expected to remain stable until June 2026, following assurances from pharmaceutical companies that they will not implement price increases during the period despite global challenges affecting logistics and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
