Adulting
PSA: You Can Now Get Up to P20,000 Worth of Free Medicines Through PhilHealth
75 medicines covered, including drugs for diabetes, hypertension, and asthma
Published on Sep 15, 2025
(SPOT.ph) If you or someone in
your family takes maintenance medicine, you know how expensive it gets. A
month’s supply for high blood pressure, diabetes, or cholesterol can easily
cost thousands of pesos—and that’s before inhalers, antibiotics, or other
prescriptions. To help ease that burden, PhilHealth has rolled out the Guaranteed
and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) program.
Since August 21, 2025, PhilHealth members and their qualified dependents can access up to P20,000 worth of outpatient medicines each year without paying out of pocket, at least until the annual cap is used up.
Here's everything you need to know about this program.
How to get free medicines under PhilHealth's GAMOT program
All PhilHealth members and their registered dependents are eligible, as long as they have a PhilHealth Identification Number. To start, you’ll need to register with a YAKAP primary care clinic—either through the eGovPH app, at a PhilHealth office, or directly at a participating YAKAP clinic.
Once you’ve registered, a doctor will assess you and issue a prescription using the official GAMOT App. This prescription generates a Unique Prescription Security Code (UPSC), which you’ll need when claiming medicines at an accredited GAMOT facility. You’re not tied to just one location—any accredited facility, pharmacy, hospital, or drug retailer nationwide should honor the prescription.
Timing is important. Prescriptions for antibiotics/infections must be claimed within two days, while maintenance prescriptions can be claimed within two weeks. Each one remains valid for up to 90 days, so you have some leeway to pick up what you need.
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Medicines covered under PhilHealth's GAMOT program
The expanded GAMOT list now includes 75 essential medicines, a big jump from the approximately 20 that were previously available under PhilHealth’s Konsulta package.
These medicines target the most common outpatient conditions. Think hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, and chronic lung disease, but also antibiotics for infections, antivirals, and supportive treatments for things like nerve pain and gastrointestinal problems.
For example, the list covers Amlodipine and Enalapril for blood pressure, Metformin for type 2 diabetes, Simvastatin for high cholesterol, and Salbutamol inhalers for asthma. It also includes go-to antibiotics like Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin, and Co-Amoxiclav, plus everyday essentials like Paracetamol tablets.
There’s a catch though: PhilHealth sets a maximum price it will pay for each medicine. This means that if the medicine you choose costs more than that—like when you go for a branded version instead of the generic—you'll have to pay the extra amount yourself. The P20,000 annual cap also resets every January, so once you reach the limit, you'll need to shoulder the rest until the next calendar year.
Here's the full list of medicines that can be availed for free under the GAMOT program:
Anti-infectious
- Albendazole
- Amoxicillin
- Azithromycin
- Cefixime
- Cefuroxime
- Ciprofloxacin
- Clarithromycin
- Clindamycin
- Clotrimazole
- Cloxacillin
- Co-amoxiclav
- Co-trimoxazole (Sulfamethoxazole + Trimethoprim)
- Doxycycline
- Erythromycin
- Fluconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Mebendazole
- Metronidazole
- Nitrofurantoin
- Oseltamivir
- Tobramycin
Anti-thrombotics
- Clopidogrel
- Aspirin
Anti-asthma and COPD
- Budesonide + Formoterol
- Fluticasone + Salmeterol
- Ipratropium
- Montelukast
- Prednisone
- Salbutamol
- Ipratropium + Salbutamol
- Tiotropium
Supportive/Other Therapy
- Aluminum Hydroxide + Magnesium Hydroxide
- Butamirate
- Celecoxib
- Cetirizine
- Colchicine
- Chlorphenamine
- Diphenhydramine
- Ferrous Salt (Iron Preparations)
- Folic acid + Iron Ferrous
- Ibuprofen
- Lagundi (Vitex Negundo)
- Loratadine
- Mefenamic Acid
- Naproxen
- Omeprazole
- Oral Rehydration Salts
- Paracetamol
- Zinc
Anti-diabetics
- Dapagliflozin
- Gliclazide
- Metformin
Anti-dyslipidemia
- Atorvastatin
- Fenofibrate
- Rosuvastatin
- Simvastatin
Anti-hypertensive and Cardiology
- Amlodipine
- Atenolol
- Captopril
- Clonidine
- Diltiazem
- Enalapril
- Enalapril + Hydrochlorothiazide
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Isosorbide Dinitrate
- Isosorbide Mononitrate
- Losartan
- Methyldopa
- Metoprolol
- Tamsulosin
- Telmisartan
- Telmisartan + Hydrochlorothiazide
- Valsartan
- Valsartan + Hydrochlorothiazide
Nervous System
- Gabapentin
Micah believes that writing is always political. Beyond the byline, you’ll find her bruising herself in a pole studio or napping with her beagle. Reach her at micah@spot.ph.
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