Botika ng Bayan partners with Iloilo Province
The province of Iloilo will be the first partner province of the Botika ng Bayan (BnB) Program in the country.
This was learned recently from Philippine International Trading Corporation President Roberto “Obet” Pagdanganan during his visit to Iloilo as keynote speaker on Health Coop Biz’ 06 in connection with the province’s celebration of the International Cooperative Month.
He said aside from Iloilo Province, PITC also partnered with the League of Cities headed by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and the Archdiocese of Jaro where the first BnB sa Parokya is to be put up.
Pangdaganan said this is “good news” for the Ilonggos because with the presence of BnB Program in Iloilo, people can buy quality, low priced drugs and medicines.
He said “we have the most expensive medicines in the whole world especially those branded and off-patent.
“So we have to correct this anomalous situation where Filipinos pay five to seven times more for certain drugs or medicines,” Pagdanganan said.
He said to correct these practices, PITC accredits existing pharmacies and even encourages cooperatives to put up their own BnB.
Pagdangan said P.5 billion is needed to start a BnB.
He said BnB can help strengthen the local pharmaceutical industry through bulk procurement of commonly used drugs, raw materials and active ingredients to provide economies of scale in production at reduced price and in marketing and distribution of branded generics at reduced prices.
Pagdangan added that through BnB, partnerships with LGUs, private and government hospitals, private sectors and other stakeholders to fight proliferation of fake medicines will be strengthened.
He said BnB Program aims to respond to the need for stronger and effective sales and distribution network for low-priced medicines; envisions the establishment of a nationwide network of privately-operated retail drug outlets distributing a full range of imported and locally sources prescription and over-the-counter branded and generic drugs and medicines at affordable prices; and targets the establishment of 1,500 accredited outlets by end of 2005 and 3,000 drugstores by 2010.
(Ian C. Espada/Capitol News)