Disabled persons to get 20% discount on medicines

MANILA, Philippines — Good news for Filipinos with disabilities.

Starting next month, they may avail themselves of a 20-percent discount on all purchases of medicines and medical supplies from all outlets of Mercury Drugstore, Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said.

Mercury Drugstore recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) signifying its intention to provide discounts to persons with disabilities (PWDs) as part of its compliance with Republic Act 9442, known as the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities”. During the MoA signing, Mercury Drug management was represented by lawyer Edsel Manuel.

Bello commended the gesture of the drugstore in helping out the government ease the financial plight of PWDs, but he was quick to warn that the government will take appropriate action against Mercury Drug once it violates the memorandum.

“While we are glad that Mercury Drug finally decided to join us in ensuring the rights and welfare of PWDs, I wish to make it clear with the company’s management that we, Akbayan, our friends in the sector, and allies in Congress, will be watching very closely, and we will not hesitate to take appropriate legal or legislative action should there be any indication that Mercury intends to abandon the agreement,” he said.

Earlier, several groups of PWDs threatened to file a class suit against big drugstores and pharmaceutical companies for their refusal to provide them 20-percent discount on medicine purchases.

Bello also noted the significant involvement of San Jose del Monte Rep. Arturo Robes, chairman of the House Committee on Social Services, in the resolution of the issue.

He also praised the combined forces of marginalized groups and their representatives in the government that result in trampling down the “cycle of abuse and the hegemony of the big, powerful corporations. –CHARISSA M. LUCI, Manila Bulletin