The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has proposed allowing licensed pharmacists to remotely supervise multiple community pharmacies, a move that could expand access to essential medicines in underserved Philippine communities while easing staffing constraints.
Presented to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the council’s 11th healthcare sector meeting on October 21, the proposal calls for a regulatory sandbox to test digital supervision, with trained pharmacy assistants stationed at participating outlets.
The pilot is targeted for implementation from November 2026 to January 2027. Its success will depend on regulatory safeguards, reliable digital systems and clear protocols for handling prescriptions, dispensing medicines and referring patients who require professional assessment.
PSAC Healthcare Sector Lead and Ayala Healthcare Holdings Vice Chairman Paolo Borromeo said the council aims to lower healthcare costs and bring essential services closer to communities.
“Our goal is to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to every Filipino,” Borromeo said.
The proposal forms part of a broader push to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses. PSAC also recommended expanding PhilHealth’s YAKAP primary healthcare program and GAMOT outpatient medicine initiative to reach more beneficiaries.
As of October 8, YAKAP had registered 22.42 million beneficiaries through 4,677 accredited clinics, while GAMOT had served 1.28 million beneficiaries through 3,483 participating pharmacies.
The council also called for faster medicine and vaccine approvals, simpler licensing procedures for healthcare facilities and stronger public-private partnerships to improve service delivery.
Regulatory processing figures showed progress at the Food and Drug Administration, which approved 6,971 product registration applications from January to September, up from 4,674 in the same period a year earlier. The increase points to higher approval volumes, although its effect on medicine availability will also depend on manufacturing, distribution and market entry.
Meanwhile, PhilHealth reported P331 billion in claims payments as of October 10, with full-year disbursements projected to reach P425 billion.
The proposed remote-supervision model could offer another way to extend pharmacy services beyond major population centers. Its broader implications, however, will hinge on whether regulators can balance wider access with pharmacist accountability, dispensing accuracy and patient safety.
