The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday, February 1, said the medicines exempted from value-added tax (VAT) were the agency’s obligation as stated under the law.

“Obligasyon naman ng ating ahensya na kapag may kailangang bigyan ng exemption ay kailangan nating ibigay,” BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. told DZRH in an interview.

“Nasa batas 'yan, nasa TRAIN Law. Ina-update natin ang listahan ng mga covered na mga gamot at illnesses para makatulong sa mga kababayan,” he added.

BIR earlier released a list showing the VAT-exempted medicines for diseases such as cancer, hypertension, tuberculosis, diabetes, and mental illness.

The BIR Commissioner said the exemption would aid Filipinos in purchasing medicine necessary to improve their diseases.

“Dahil alam naman nating magastos ang gamot at necessary ito kaya kailangan ding makatulong,” Lumagui said.

“Sinisigurado natin na talagang makakatulong tayo sa mga kababayan. Regularly nating ina-update ang potentially covered na medicines na magiging VAT exempted,” he added.