MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has expanded its list of value-added tax (VAT)-exempt medicines to include 10 additional drugs used for treating cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness.

In a statement on Monday, the BIR said Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 62-2025 on June 20, further broadening the coverage of VAT exemptions for critical medications.

“The BIR has issued an additional VAT-exemption of 10 medicines for cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness,” Lumagui said. “Access to affordable medicines is part of BIR’s Excellent Taxpayer Service.”

Among the newly exempted medicines are:

Tegafur + Gimeracil + Oteracil Potassium (cancer)

Metformin Hydrochloride + Teneligliptin (diabetes)

Atorvastatin (as calcium) + Fenofibrate (high cholesterol)

Metoprolol tartrate + Ivabradine (as hydrochloride) (hypertension)

Lamotrigine (mental illness)

The BIR said the expansion is aligned with Republic Act No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, and Republic Act No. 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.

The move aims to lower treatment costs and improve access to essential medicines, especially for patients and families burdened by long-term healthcare expenses. The agency said the updated list is based on the latest evaluations by the Food and Drug Administration.