• General Information
• Medical Emergencies
• Insurance for Travelers
• Blood Donation
• Psychiatric Assistance
• Scuba Diving Accidents
• Medical Evacuations
• Hospitals and Medical Facilities in the Philippines
• English Speaking Doctors and Dentists

General Information

The Philippines is a tropical country and as such, diseases that are rare in the U.S. are more common in the Philippines. Depending on the areas that you plan to visit, you may wish to discuss the advisability of obtaining vaccinations for diseases such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Tetanus.  There are also several prevalent mosquito born diseases such as malaria and dengue fever which can be deadly.  Malaria is not a problem in Manila, but it is prevalent in many rural areas of the Philippines.  Malaria is most problematic on the island of Palawan; here, mefloquine or doxycycline is needed as a prophylactic.  In the other areas, chloroquine alone is recommended.  For additional information, refer to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website. This page contains specific advice about malaria prevention in the Philippines by region.

For additional health guidance and a global rundown of diseases, immunization advice and risks in particular countries, please consult the CDC international travelers hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), their automated faxback service at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or the CDC home page.

Medical Emergencies

If an American citizen becomes seriously ill or injured abroad, a U.S. consular officer can provide information on the location of medical services and inform family or friends.  If necessary, a consular officer can also assist in the transfer of funds (transfer of funds) from the United States to cover hospitalization charges.  However, payment of hospital and other expenses is the responsibility of the traveler.

To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.  A traveler going abroad with any preexisting medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of the prescribed drugs.  Any medications brought overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled.  Travelers should check with a Philippine Embassy/Consulate to make sure any required medications are not illegal in the Philippines.

Insurance for Travelers

Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas.  If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, remember to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form.  Although many health insurance companies will pay “customary and reasonable” hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States.  Medical evacuation from the Philippines can easily cost $10,000 and up, depending on your location and medical condition.

The Social Security Medicare Program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States.

Blood Donation (RH Negative)

The blood banks at the Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s Medical Center (both in Metro Manila) maintain lists of possible donors of Rh Negative blood.  In addition, the American Association of the Philippines maintains a similar list of possible donors.

The American Association of the Philippines can be contacted at (02) 892-5198 during normal working hours.  During non-office hours, please contact the Embassy Duty Officer at (02) 301-2000.

Psychiatric Assistance

There are no private facilities in the Manila area that will accept psychiatric patients unless they have first been so certified by a psychiatrist.  In the event a U.S. citizen will not consent to hospitalization, the police or immigration authorities may sometimes take her/him into custody and subsequently transfer her/him to a hospital.

Psychiatric facilities in the Philippines are:

• National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), 9 de Febrero, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Tel.:  (02) 531-9001.  (NCMH is a government hospital.)

• Makati Medical Center, 2 Amorsolo Street, Makati, Metro Manila, Tel.: (02)  815-9911.  Makati Medical Center is a private hospital.  However, it has a psychiatric ward for the mentally-ill.  The patient’s bill for board/lodging, excluding professional fees, laboratory tests, and medicine, is approximately P695.00 a day.)

• University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Hospital, Espana, Manila, Tel.: (02) 731-3001.  (UST Hospital is a private hospital.  However, it has a community ward for the mentally-ill.  The patient’s bill for board/lodging, excluding professional fees, laboratory tests, and medicine, is approximately P500.00 a day.)
  

Scuba Diving Accidents

There is one recompression chamber in the Philippines available to treat scuba divers suffering from the bends. It is located at the Subic Yacht Club, Subic, Zambales, Philippines.  The chamber, which has a 3-4 person seating capacity, is open 24 hours.

Contact

Dr. David Calapatia, Calapatia Polymedic Clinic
Tel.:  (047) 222-2002 (H) – 24 hours
(047) 222-9600 (W)
Cellular No.:  0917-512-0320

Subic Yacht Club
Tel.:  (047) 252-5211; (047) 252-2431
(24 hours)

Divers who do not wish to undergo recompression treatment in the Philippines may be able to seek the assistance of the U.S. Navy chamber in Guam, Tel:  (00671) 339-7143.  As in all medical cases, it is the responsibility of the American citizen to arrange transport from the Philippines to Guam.

Medical Evacuations (Medevacs)

In-country Medevacs:  In-country or domestic medical transport of patients from an outlying province to Manila may be accomplished with the assistance of the Manila Rescue Coordination Center (RCC).   RCC provides assistance with in-country medevacs, which it refers to as “Airlift Missions.”  While RCC does not have the resources to conduct the operation itself, it acts as a coordinating body and can refer the request to the appropriate offices.  RCC’s Operations Center is open 24 hours.  Below are telephone numbers for RCC and other Philippine government agencies that can assist with in-country medevacs.

RCC Duty Officer
Tel:  (02) 832-3013; 877-1109, local 3446, 3800, 3030;
759-9502 through 03
Email:  rcc@ats.ato.gov.ph

Air Transportation Office (ATO) Operations
Tel.: (02) 831-6215
Fax:  (02) 833-0127

Philippine Air Force, 505th Search and Rescue Group
(Helicopter Search and Rescue)
Villamor Air Base, Pasay City, Tel:  (02) 853-5013, 853-5121
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Tel:  (077) 773-1499 or 773-2402
Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Tel:  (038) 844-1800
Mactan, Cebu,  Tel:  (032) 340-2212
General Santos City, Tel:  (083) 555-0065

Philippine Coast Guard
Operations, Tel.: (02) 527-3870, Fax: 527-3880
Coast Guard Air Group,  Tel.: (02) 832-3756

International Medevacs: Although medical care is generally good in the Philippines, there are conditions for which evacuation to the U.S. may be necessary.  Since a private plane can cost more than $10,000 for a single flight, you may wish to consider obtaining medical evacuation insurance coverage prior to travelling overseas.  There are several companies in the United States that offer such insurance.

Persons needing to be medevaced to the U.S. or other foreign destinations should contact a commercial airline or commercial medical evacuation service.

“I talked to him [Biron] over the phone to consider or include the request of the doctors in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and in Metro Manila,”de Venecia said.

But de Venecia said that doctors should also appeal to senators since the bill will be acted upon by the both chambers of Congress.

Members of the Philippine Medical Association earlier threatened to stage a “hospital holiday” to express their objection to a provision of the bill, which mandates doctors to prescribe only generic names of drugs.

The doctors claimed that they also have to prescribe branded drugs during certain occasions.

On the other hand, Biron said that among the salient features of the bill, the provisions on the prescription of generic drugs could be easily reconciled or resolved. –Maricel V. Cruz

Mrs. Arroyo stressed she would not let giant drug laboratories to get in the way of the passage of cheap medicine bill.

Mrs. Arroyo issued the statement following attempt of Pfizer Philippines to derail passage of House Bill 6035, or the Half Price Medicine Bill, during the second day of the special session of Congress Tuesday.

With the success of the government’s half-priced medicine program the President is determined to expand it so more poor people could benefit from the program.

In a roundtable in Malacañang Thursday afternoon, Mrs. Arroyo said the program could include any drugstore willing to sell the commonly used medicines at cheaper prices.

“The reason why we asked the Philippine International Trading Corp. to buy these cheap medicines is because we want to make sure any drugstore can have it,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

Rep. Teddy Locsin of Makati City during the discussion explained that parallel importation of patented medicine was permitted in the original bill, “what the House did was to expand it,” to accommodate larger market of distributors. BY Sam Mediavilla, Reporter