I am one of those people who don't normally check receipts... but when I bought my prescription for my neuropathic pain from Mercury Drug, I checked and noticed there was a 12% VAT (value added tax) that was charged... surprised, maybe I should have not... but then it made me feel that it was not right... to tax and pass the tax burden to the sick... my bill for 3 tablets of VIT B complex and 3 capsules of gabapentin should just have been 168.08 pesos but because of the VAT, I was charged 188.25 pesos... 20.17 pesos up... to some 20 pesos is just a trifle, but that could have been my jeepney fair going home... to some, half a kilo of rice...
And this is just the visible VAT... there are alot of taxes charged to medicine that we don't know of even before they reach the shelves of drug stores that affect the prices...
Unsettling, don't you think... our government... not only the Philippines... doesn't care if you are dying and need that drug... as long as they get revenue...!
one of the reason our govn is doing that because they are more non-ill than ill ppol buying over the counter med's like alaxan, neozep, etc. the result is our govn has passed med's taxes on the masses. it's actually better than it used to be. your dispute is what everyone's refute when regards to much cheaper medicine. this has resulted to cheaper medicine (generic) bill act, thats why we have been seeing those generic pharmacies popping out left and right. for those dire sickly, the govn has allotted hosp to sell no tax med's and sometimes almost to a nil, depending on the patient's financial situation (and family situation) in accordance with dsw. however theres always a gray area or loop hole because govn tries to save, no pun intended. one of which is they dont buy different type of med's and shove in the hospital's pharmacy. the hospital medicine is for hospital's patients only/should be. if you wouldve gone to hospital ex. specialized in tb in kyusi, i bet you can get tb med's very cheap and/or to almost nil or free. now, since you mentioned that, DOH should be informed, therefore we know where to buy our med's cheaper and tax deducted
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