Pregnancy
The Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2019 provides one hundred and five days of paid leave for every live birth, with an additional fifteen days for solo parents and the option to transfer seven days to the father or an alternate caregiver. Antenatal care and facility-based delivery are covered in part by the national health insurance programme, delivered through rural health units and lying-in clinics.
The Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2019 gives one hundred and five days of paid leave for a live birth, among the longest in Asia, with an additional fifteen days for a solo parent and seven days transferable to the father or to another caregiver. Benefits are paid through the social security system for private employees. Antenatal care is provided through local health units and, for members, through the national health insurance programme.
Key points
| Maternity leave | One hundred and five days paid, for every live birth |
|---|---|
| Solo parents | An additional fifteen days |
| Transferable days | Seven days may be transferred to the father or an alternate caregiver |
| Coverage | PhilHealth maternity care package for antenatal care and delivery |
| Delivery | Facility-based delivery is national policy; home delivery is discouraged |
| Rural health units | The main point of antenatal care |
| Midwives | Deliver much of the care, including in lying-in clinics |
In practice
- Notify your employer and the social security system of the pregnancy to secure the benefit.
- Register early with the rural health unit: the PhilHealth package runs through accredited facilities.
- The seven transferable days must be notified in writing.
- Ask whether the facility is PhilHealth-accredited before choosing where to deliver.
Cost and coverage
The PhilHealth package covers part of the cost; accredited facilities charge less.
Recent changes
The Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2019 raised leave to one hundred and five days with additional days for solo parents, and PhilHealth has broadened its maternity care package.
Where to go
- Rural health units and city health offices.
- PhilHealth for the maternity care package.
- Social Security System for the maternity benefit.
Worth knowing
The benefit is paid for every live birth, not only the first two — a change from the previous law that many employers have still not applied.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays the maternity benefit?
The Social Security System for private-sector employees, with the employer advancing the payment and claiming reimbursement; government employees are covered by their own system. Self-employed and voluntary members qualify if contributions are up to date, which is worth checking early in the pregnancy.
What are the seven transferable days?
Part of the one hundred and five days can be transferred to the child's father, or where he is absent to an alternate caregiver such as a relative or the mother's partner. This is separate from the father's own paternity leave entitlement.
The general article: Pregnancy · Compare with another country
Sex therapy
The Philippines licenses psychologists and psychometricians under the Psychology Act of 2009 and guidance counsellors under the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004, both through the Professional Regulation Commission; doctors are licensed by the same commission. “Sex therapist” is not a licensed profession, and the Mental Health Act of 2018, which guaranteed access to mental-health services, did not create one.
Qualified help comes from psychiatrists and licensed psychologists with training in sex therapy — a small group, concentrated in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao — and from urologists and gynaecologists for the medical side. Overseas credentials such as AASECT certification are the usual mark of specific training.
Public hospitals and the National Center for Mental Health see outpatients for low fees, with long queues and limited privacy. PhilHealth covers hospitalisation and, through its primary-care package, basic consultations including mental-health screening, but not a course of sex therapy. Privately, a psychiatrist or psychologist charges roughly 1,500 to 4,000 pesos a session; health maintenance organisations sometimes include a few psychological consultations a year.
Online consultation with licensed psychologists has expanded since 2020 and is often the most private route outside the big cities.
Key points
| Title | Unregulated; psychologists and guidance counsellors licensed by the PRC |
|---|---|
| Regulated professions nearby | Doctors, psychologists, psychometricians, guidance counsellors |
| Who is trained | Psychiatrists and licensed psychologists with overseas sex-therapy training; urologists, gynaecologists |
| Public services | Public hospitals and the National Center for Mental Health, low fees |
| PhilHealth | Hospitalisation and basic primary care; no course of sex therapy |
| Private cost | About 1,500–4,000 pesos a session |
In practice
- Verify the licence on the Professional Regulation Commission's online verification service.
- Ask about specific sex-therapy training; the Psychological Association of the Philippines directory helps locate practitioners.
- Use public hospital outpatient departments for medical evaluation at low cost.
- Check whether your HMO plan includes psychological consultations.
Cost and reimbursement
Public hospital: low fees, queues. Private psychiatrist or psychologist: 1,500–4,000 pesos, out of pocket; HMO plans sometimes cover a few sessions.
What has changed recently
The Mental Health Act of 2018 obliged PhilHealth to widen mental-health benefits; outpatient packages remain modest and do not cover sex therapy as such.
Where to go
- Professional Regulation Commission: licence verification.
- Psychological Association of the Philippines: directory.
- National Center for Mental Health and public hospital outpatient departments.
- Philippine Psychiatric Association.
Worth knowing
Unlicensed “therapists” and clinics promising cures advertise freely online; the PRC licence is the check that matters, and a licensed psychologist will show it without hesitation.
Frequently asked questions
Are sex therapists licensed in the Philippines?
No. Psychologists and guidance counsellors are; sex therapy is practised within those licences or by psychiatrists.
Does PhilHealth pay for therapy?
Only hospitalisation and basic primary-care consultations; a course of sex therapy is not covered.
Where can I find affordable care?
Public hospital outpatient departments and the National Center for Mental Health charge low fees; online licensed psychologists offer privacy at private rates.
Sources
- Professional Regulation Commission — licence verification for psychologists and doctors
- Psychological Association of the Philippines — directory
The general article: Sex therapy · Compare with another country
Mental health
A 2018 mental health law, a national crisis hotline, and provision that is still catching up.
The Mental Health Act of 2018 guarantees access to services, requires mental health to be integrated into primary care and workplaces, and protects patients' rights. A national crisis hotline operates round the clock. In practice specialists remain concentrated in the capital region, the national centre carries much of the load, and the public insurance scheme covers only part of inpatient treatment.
The Mental Health Act of 2018 established rights to care and to confidentiality, required services in every province and created a national council, but implementation has depended on budgets that have not always followed. A national crisis hotline operates, and PhilHealth covers inpatient psychiatric admissions and some outpatient packages. Provision outside Metro Manila and a handful of cities remains thin.
Key points
| Legal framework | Mental Health Act of 2018, guaranteeing access and patient rights |
|---|---|
| Crisis hotline | National line operating round the clock |
| Workplaces | Employers are required to have mental health policies |
| Provision | Specialists concentrated in the capital region |
| Insurance | Public scheme covers part of inpatient psychiatric treatment |
| Primary care | Integration mandated by law, implementation uneven |
| Medication | Free at some public facilities, subject to supply |
In practice
- The national crisis hotline is free and staffed round the clock.
- Your employer is required by law to have a mental health policy: ask what support it provides.
- Public health centres can prescribe and refer without a specialist appointment.
- The public insurance scheme covers part of a psychiatric admission - register before you need it.
Cost and coverage
Public facilities charge little; the public insurance scheme covers part of inpatient care.
Recent changes
The 2018 Act replaced a legal vacuum and remains the reference point for patients' rights.
Where to go
- National mental health crisis hotline.
- Public health centres and the national centre for mental health.
- Non-governmental counselling and support organisations.
Worth knowing
The 2018 Act is strong on paper. Where it bites in practice is in workplaces and schools, which are now required to have policies - a useful lever if you need adjustments.
Frequently asked questions
What did the 2018 Mental Health Act establish?
A right to accessible mental health services, protections for confidentiality and against discrimination, rules on informed consent and involuntary treatment, and a requirement for services at the provincial level with psychiatric units in general hospitals. A national council oversees implementation, which has been uneven.
Is treatment covered by insurance?
PhilHealth covers inpatient psychiatric admission and has introduced outpatient packages; coverage of long-term therapy and medication is partial. Public facilities charge subsidised rates. Private psychiatry in Manila costs ₱1,500 to ₱4,000 a consultation.
The general article: Mental health · Compare with another country
Dental care
Almost entirely private, with PhilHealth covering very little dental care.
PhilHealth does not fund routine dental care; its coverage is limited to certain oral surgery performed in hospital. Public dental services exist in rural health units and city health offices, mainly for extractions. Everything else is private and paid directly.
City and municipal health offices provide free or nominal extractions, which in practice means tooth loss where a filling would have saved the tooth.
Dental schools in Manila and Cebu treat patients at low cost.
Private prices are low by Western standards, and the country receives dental travellers, mostly from the diaspora and from neighbouring countries.
Dentists are numerous in the cities and scarce in rural provinces.
Key points
| PhilHealth | No routine dental cover; limited hospital oral surgery |
|---|---|
| Public | Rural health units and city health offices, mainly extractions |
| Private | Dominant, prices low by Western standards |
| Dental schools | Low-cost supervised treatment |
In practice
- Ask about a filling before accepting an extraction: public services default to extraction because it is quicker.
- Dental schools are the best value for complex work.
- Check the Professional Regulation Commission registration.
Cost and coverage
Examination ₱300–₱800. Filling ₱800–₱2,500. Crown ₱8,000–₱25,000. Implant with crown ₱45,000–₱90,000.
Recent changes
Expansion of PhilHealth outpatient benefits has been debated without extending to routine dentistry.
Where to go
- City and municipal health offices.
- Dental schools in Manila and Cebu.
- Professional Regulation Commission, Board of Dentistry.
Worth knowing
Free public dental care generally means extraction. If the tooth can be saved, it is worth paying for the filling: a missing molar costs far more to replace later.
Frequently asked questions
Does PhilHealth cover the dentist?
Not for routine care; only certain hospital oral surgery.
Where can I get low-cost treatment?
Dental schools and city health offices.
The general article: Dental care · Compare with another country
HIV and AIDS
One of the fastest-growing epidemics in the region, met with a 2018 law allowing testing from age 15 without parental consent.
The Philippines has seen one of the steepest rises in new infections in the Asia-Pacific region. The HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018 modernised the response: it lowered the age of consent for testing to 15 without parental permission, strengthened confidentiality, prohibited discrimination and mandated treatment access through the national health insurance programme.
The Philippines has one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world, concentrated among young men, and responded with a 2018 law that lowered the age of consent for testing to fifteen without parental consent and strengthened confidentiality. Treatment is free through designated facilities and covered by PhilHealth, and PrEP is available through community clinics.
Key points
| 2018 Act | Republic Act 11166: testing from 15 without parental consent, anti-discrimination provisions |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Free through designated treatment hubs, funded by national health insurance |
| Testing | Free at social hygiene clinics and community centres |
| PrEP | Available through community-led clinics and some public facilities |
| Epidemic trend | Rising rapidly, concentrated among young men |
| Confidentiality | Protected by the Act, with penalties for unauthorised disclosure |
| Community clinics | Deliver a large share of testing and PrEP |
In practice
- Community-led clinics generally offer faster, friendlier testing than hospitals.
- If you are 15 or over you can consent to a test yourself; below that, a parent or guardian is required.
- Enrol with a treatment hub promptly: treatment is free and covered by national health insurance.
- Report breaches of confidentiality: the Act provides penalties.
Cost and coverage
Testing is free; treatment is covered through the national health insurance programme.
Where to go
- Department of Health treatment hubs.
- Social hygiene clinics of local governments.
- Community-led clinics and support organisations.
Worth knowing
The Act guarantees confidentiality and prohibits discrimination in work, school and healthcare. Those are enforceable rights, not aspirations.
Frequently asked questions
Can a teenager be tested without a parent in the Philippines?
Yes, from fifteen, under the 2018 HIV and AIDS Policy Act, which removed the parental consent requirement for that age group and strengthened confidentiality protections. Below fifteen, testing is possible in defined circumstances with a social worker's involvement.
Hepatitis B
A birth dose within 24 hours is national policy, but coverage depends heavily on where the birth takes place.
The Philippines includes a hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours in its expanded programme on immunisation, followed by the combined vaccine. Prevalence is intermediate to high, and the birth dose is the decisive intervention — but its coverage is closely tied to whether the birth occurs in a facility.
The Philippines mandates a hepatitis B birth dose within twenty-four hours by law, and vaccination is part of the expanded programme on immunisation. Coverage of the timely birth dose is the measure that matters and has fluctuated, particularly after pandemic disruption and an earlier collapse in vaccine confidence.
Key points
| Birth dose | Within 24 hours, national policy |
|---|---|
| Home births | The main gap in birth dose coverage |
| Prevalence | Intermediate to high |
| Antenatal screening | Part of routine antenatal care where available |
| Testing | At rural health units and hospitals |
| Treatment | Available, with cost a significant barrier |
| PhilHealth | Covers part of the cost of related care |
In practice
- Ask for the birth dose within 24 hours; if the birth is at home, take the baby to a health facility immediately.
- Ask for testing during pregnancy: it determines the baby's care.
Cost and coverage
Vaccination is free in the public programme; treatment costs are a significant barrier.
Where to go
- Rural health units and barangay health stations.
- Hospital gastroenterology services.
- Hepatology Society and patient support groups.
Worth knowing
A vaccine given at six weeks does not undo an infection acquired at birth. The first 24 hours are what matter, and the dose has to be requested where it is not offered.
Frequently asked questions
Is the birth dose required by law?
Yes — legislation requires hepatitis B vaccination within twenty-four hours of birth, alongside newborn screening. Ask for it explicitly at the facility and check that it is recorded in the immunisation card, because timeliness rather than availability is the usual gap.
HPV
School-based vaccination for girls, and screening that relies mainly on visual inspection.
The Philippines provides HPV vaccination to girls aged 9 to 14 through school-based and community delivery, although coverage has been affected by wider vaccine confidence problems. Screening in the public system relies primarily on visual inspection with acetic acid, delivered at rural health units, with cytology and HPV testing available in larger facilities.
The Philippines introduced HPV vaccination for girls through a school-based programme, with coverage interrupted by the pandemic and by an earlier vaccine confidence crisis that damaged trust in immunisation generally. Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among Filipino women, and screening coverage is low outside urban centres.
Key points
| Vaccination | Free for girls aged 9 to 14 through school and community delivery |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Affected by wider issues of vaccine confidence |
| Screening | Visual inspection with acetic acid at rural health units |
| Cytology and HPV testing | Available in larger facilities and private clinics |
| Age group | Women aged 30 to 49 prioritised |
| Treatment | Thermal ablation or cryotherapy where available |
| Cost | Free in the public system |
In practice
- Ask at the rural health unit for visual inspection screening: it is free and gives an immediate result.
- Have daughters vaccinated when the school programme comes round; catch-up is possible.
- Bleeding after sex needs examination regardless of age.
- Screening remains necessary after vaccination.
Where to go
- Rural health units and city health offices.
- Department of Health cancer control programme.
- Hospitals for colposcopy and treatment of lesions.
Worth knowing
Visual inspection is done and read during the same visit, so treatment of a lesion can often follow immediately. That is its advantage over methods that require a laboratory.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you be vaccinated in the Philippines?
Through the school-based programme for girls in the eligible grades, free of charge, and privately at clinics for anyone outside it. Local government health offices hold supplies for catch-up. Availability varies between local government units.
General sources
- gov.ph — official government portal