Diabetes Medicine Prices in the Philippines 2026: Metformin, Sitagliptin & Insulin
Quick Answer: Generic metformin is cheap — as low as ₱2.00/tablet (Diamet, 500mg, at The Generics Pharmacy). Sitagliptin and several insulin products, on the other hand, carry an actual legal price ceiling under Executive Order 104 — pharmacies are not allowed to charge above the published MRP. Insulin pens are capped between ₱420.53 and ₱763.40 depending on the type, and sitagliptin tablets between ₱46.19 and ₱53.19. None of these — metformin, sitagliptin, or insulin — appear on PhilHealth's GAMOT list, so the ₱20,000/year free-medicine benefit does not apply to diabetes drugs.
About these figures: MRP price ceilings come from Executive Order 104 (17 Feb 2020), which is a legally binding cap — EO 104 states plainly that no entity may charge above it. Retail prices come from Rose Pharmacy, The Generics Pharmacy (TGP), and Southstar Drug, all of which publish prices online; Mercury Drug does not publish prices, and Watsons blocked every price-check attempt, so no Watsons figures appear here. GAMOT status references PhilHealth Circular 2025-0013 (effective 21 August 2025). Last checked: August 2026.
Table of Contents
- Why diabetes medicine works differently from other price mechanisms
- Metformin prices
- Sitagliptin: the legal price ceiling
- Insulin: the real EO 104 price caps
- Why none of these are on the GAMOT free-medicine list
- How to pay less
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why diabetes medicine works differently from other price mechanisms
Most of the maintenance-drug categories on ClinicFinderPH lean heavily on PhilHealth's GAMOT program, which lets eligible members get certain medicines at zero out-of-pocket cost. Diabetes medicine is the exception. None of the three drugs covered in this guide — metformin, sitagliptin, insulin — are confirmed on the 75-molecule GAMOT list, so that free-medicine path doesn't apply here the way it does for, say, hypertension drugs. Instead, the price protection that does exist comes from Executive Order 104, a legally binding price ceiling that applies to sitagliptin and several insulin products specifically. Understanding which mechanism actually covers your medicine — GAMOT, EO 104, or neither — determines whether you should be checking a reimbursement schedule, a legal MRP table, or just shopping generics.
Metformin prices
Metformin is the cheapest and most widely used first-line diabetes medicine in the Philippines, and the generic-vs-branded gap here is one of the clearest of any drug we checked.
| Source | Preparation | Price |
|---|---|---|
| TGP retail, Diamet (generic) | 500 mg tab | ₱2.00 |
| Southstar Drug retail | 500 mg tab | ₱3.75 |
| TGP retail, Glucotin (generic) | 850 mg tab | ₱5.00 |
| Rose Pharmacy retail, RiteMed SR | 500 mg tab | ₱6.25 |
Important: metformin appears in EO 104 only inside fixed-dose combination products (paired with another molecule in the same tablet). Standalone metformin has no legal MRP price ceiling. Metformin does not appear in the GMAP voluntary-reduction list either, and it is not confirmed on the GAMOT fixed-fee list — its status there is unconfirmed from the published annex.
Sitagliptin: the legal price ceiling
Unlike metformin, sitagliptin is one of the priority molecules that actually carries a binding MRP under EO 104.
| Preparation | Manufacturer Wholesale Price (MWP) | MRP (legal ceiling) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mg FC tab | ₱31.85 | ₱46.19 |
| 50 mg FC tab | ₱43.70 | ₱53.19 |
EO 104 states no public or private entity may sell, reimburse, or charge above the MRP. Sitagliptin is confirmed excluded from both the GAMOT free-medicine list and the GMAP voluntary-reduction list — this legal ceiling is the only price protection that applies to it.
Insulin: the real EO 104 price caps
Insulin is where EO 104's legal price ceilings matter most, since insulin is not covered by PhilHealth's GAMOT program at all — no insulin product appears anywhere in the 75-molecule GAMOT list. Several insulin types have a confirmed, legally binding MRP:
| Insulin Type | Preparation | MWP | MRP (legal ceiling) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insulin Lispro | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱324.43 | ₱420.53 |
| Insulin Aspart | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱327.23 | ₱424.04 |
| Insulin Aspart + Protamine | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱328.90 | ₱477.26 |
| Insulin Glulisine | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱336.14 | ₱435.18 |
| Insulin Glulisine | 100 IU/mL, 10 mL vial | ₱941.80 | ₱1,192.25 |
| Insulin Detemir | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱541.34 | ₱691.67 |
| Insulin Degludec | 100 IU/mL, 3 mL pen | ₱598.72 | ₱763.40 |
These figures are a legal ceiling, not a suggested or typical price — under EO 104, no pharmacy, hospital, or facility is allowed to charge above the MRP column for these specific insulin products. Insulin does not appear in the GMAP voluntary-reduction list either, so EO 104 is the only price protection diabetic patients on insulin currently have.
Why none of these are on the GAMOT free-medicine list
It's worth being direct about this: metformin, sitagliptin, and insulin are all confirmed excluded from PhilHealth's 75-molecule GAMOT list. The GAMOT program — which lets eligible members access certain medicines at zero out-of-pocket cost up to ₱20,000/year — currently covers only 3 anti-diabetic molecules total, and none of the three main diabetes drugs discussed here are among the fixed fees we could confirm. If you manage diabetes with these medicines, the legal MRP ceiling under EO 104 (for sitagliptin and insulin) and generic pricing (for metformin) are your main cost levers, not GAMOT. For the full list of what GAMOT does cover, see our PhilHealth GAMOT guide.
How to pay less
- Always ask for the generic. Metformin's ₱2.00–₱6.25 range shows how much the brand name adds to an otherwise cheap molecule.
- Know your insulin's legal ceiling. If a pharmacy quotes you above the MRP in the table above for the matching insulin type and pen size, that's worth questioning — EO 104 makes it a legal maximum, not a suggestion.
- For a broader look at insulin and diabetes management costs, see our insulin and diabetes management cost guide.
- For blood pressure medicine that often accompanies a diabetes diagnosis, see our hypertension medicine cost guide.
- Compare which pharmacies publish prices at all — see our Mercury Drug and clinic price list guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does metformin cost in the Philippines?
Generic metformin runs as low as ₱2.00/tablet (Diamet, 500mg, at TGP) up to ₱6.25 for a branded SR generic (RiteMed) at Rose Pharmacy.
Is metformin price-capped by law?
Not as a standalone tablet. Metformin appears in EO 104 only inside fixed-dose combination products. There is no legal MRP ceiling on standalone metformin.
What is the legal maximum price for sitagliptin?
Under EO 104, sitagliptin 25mg is capped at ₱46.19 and 50mg at ₱53.19. No entity is legally allowed to sell it above these prices.
Is insulin covered by PhilHealth's GAMOT program?
No. Insulin does not appear anywhere in the 75-molecule GAMOT list. It is not one of PhilHealth's free-medicine benefits.
What is the legal price cap on insulin pens in the Philippines?
It depends on the type. Under EO 104, Insulin Lispro is capped at ₱420.53, Insulin Aspart at ₱424.04, Insulin Aspart+Protamine at ₱477.26, Insulin Glulisine at ₱435.18 (3mL pen) or ₱1,192.25 (10mL vial), Insulin Detemir at ₱691.67, and Insulin Degludec at ₱763.40 — all per unit specified above.
Can a pharmacy legally charge more than the EO 104 MRP for insulin?
No. EO 104 states no public or private entity is allowed to sell, reimburse, or demand payment above the published MRP for the molecules it covers, which includes these insulin types.
Why isn't insulin cheaper if there's a legal price ceiling?
The MRP is a ceiling, not a target — insulin pens can legally be sold anywhere at or below the listed MRP, and the figures above (₱420–₱763 per pen) reflect that this is inherently an expensive category of medicine, even at the legal maximum.
Conclusion
Diabetes medicine pricing in the Philippines splits cleanly into two situations: metformin, where the generic-vs-branded price gap is your main lever and no legal cap applies to the standalone tablet, and sitagliptin/insulin, where EO 104 sets an actual binding price ceiling. None of the three are on PhilHealth's GAMOT free-medicine list, so unlike many maintenance drugs, there's no zero-out-of-pocket path here — just generics and the legal MRP protections that do exist. For the complete GAMOT breakdown of what is covered, read our PhilHealth free medicines guide.