As usual the honorable legislators of the Philippine Republic are divided on the different legislative issues especially the contentious cheaper medicines bill which was endorsed in both chambers of congress. The irreconcilable provisions of the bill have created delay in going into the final approval of the said important bill of the year.
It was December 2007 when legislators decided to push through with the immediate passing of the bill. But after five months the bill remained in the doldrums because majority of the legislators were influenced by lobby groups opposed to the sensitive pro-poor provisions of the House version.
The Senate version, authored by a popular and Presidential wannabe in 2010 election, is more than acceptable to the big pharmaceutical companies and medical doctors because of its provisions that practically protect their interests, thereby making it hard for legislators to reconcile both versions in the bicameral conference committee.
In all the disagreements and bickering, it now appears that the legislators’ penchant to argue in the hall of congress had made them not to walk the talk. Indeed it was self interests and loyalty to big pharmaceutical companies that define their status as elitists who favor only the few but ignore the poor majority.
Again the Filipino nation ended as losers just because of lengthy disagreements that derailed the passing of cheaper medicines bill which believed could give relief to the continuing high cost of medicines.
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