Manila

Philippines / Luzon / Manila

OVERVIEW

You will find many health care resources in the Philippines, and English is widely spoken. However, there are many restrictions, as views toward women's health are heavily influenced by Catholic Church doctrine. Contraceptives (birth control) is legal and can be purchased in pharmacies, with some brands being much cheaper than others. You can find birth control pills, condoms, shots, implants, IUDs, etc. in Manila. Emergency contraception (or "the morning after pill") is not permitted in the Philippines and Postinor, an emergency contraception, has been "delisted." However, women do use oral contraceptives as replacement emergency contraception (we provide details on this topic in the "Emergency Contraception" section). There are many places to receive STI tests, the majority of which seem to focus on HIV, but you can get other tests done. It is recommended to get STI tests at confidential clinics or private clinics, since the public hospitals will generally report your results and keep them on file. PrEP is available in the Philippines, as of January 2018. Regarding menstruation, you can find pads, pantyliners and tampons in Manila. If you are looking for menstrual cups, there may be one seller of Lunette in the Philippines, but your best bet is to buy menstrual cups online. The Philippines has begun to liberalize laws on maternity care in the past year. Finally, abortion is illegal and there is a prominent underground abortion industry, especially in Manila. While thousands of clandestine abortions are performed each year, many women die from botched abortions, as well, so it is recommended to exercise extreme caution if one is considering this path.

Contraception (Birth Control)

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the Philippines, condoms and oral contraceptives (or "birth control pills") can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. While you technically do need a prescription for birth control pills, this does not seem to be widely enforced, meaning you can easily walk into a pharmacy and purchase birth control.

According to a 2015 UN report, the most common forms of contraception used by married women were birth control pills (19.9%), withdrawal or the "pull out method" (11%), female sterilization (8.8%), the rhythm method (4.8%), contraceptive injectables (3.9%) and IUDs (3.6%). There was low usage of condoms (2%) and male sterilization (0.1%). Furthermore, there was practically no usage of contraceptive implants (0%) and vaginal barrier methods (0%). Today, approximately 37% of married women in the Philippines use modern contraception and 12% use traditional family planning methods (like withdrawal, the rhythm method and periodic abstinence). It is estimated that 17.8% of Filipina women (who are married or in unions, and of reproductive age) have unmet family planning needs.

In the Philippines, there have been many challenges to birth control access, especially from the powerful Filipino Catholic Church. For many years, birth control pills were not legal at all, and they were treated like illegal contraband, exchanged between women. When they finally were legalized, the Catholic Church strongly campaigned against their access. In 2000, the Mayor of Manila banned contraceptive distribution in all city-funded health centers, and the ban lasted for nearly a decade. In a turn of tide, the Filipino government signed the Reproductive Health Law, under President Benigno Aquino III, in 2012. This law required that schools provide sex education, and that health centers provide free condoms and birth control. This law was heavily challenged by the Church and religious organizations, such as the Alliance for Family Foundation Philippines, resulting in a 2-year legal battle. In the end, the Filipino Supreme Court upheld the Reproductive Health Law in 2014. Nevertheless, conservative forces managed to cut the government's budget for contraceptives, thereby making contraceptives more difficult for poor Filipino families to afford, soon afterward. Most recently, President Duterte has vowed to bring back family planning programs to the Philippines, insisting that Filipino families are too large and that the Catholic Church has kept the populace "in total ignorance" about birth control.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• In the Philippines, there's a rather large variety of hormonal birth control brands. Some brands you can expect to see in the pharmacies are the following: Althea, Ancea, Crimson, Diane-35, Mercilon, Marvelon 28, Yaz, Yasmin, Gestodene, Gynera, Micropil, Mocropil Plus, Microgyno 30, Cazul, Femme, Seif, Blush, Femenal, Nordiol, Charlize, Lady, Nordette, Rigevidon 21 + 7, Seif, Trust Pills, Logentrol, Gracial, Logynon, Trinordiol and Natazia.
• It appears that Nuvaring (or other ring-based contraceptives) is not carried in the Philippines, or at least in large pharmacies like Generics Pharmacy and Mercury Pharmacy.
• In the public health centers, you may be able to find Microgynon 30, Nordette and Trust Pills (which can also be used as emergency contraceptives).
• You may find that the pharmacies can wildly vary in terms of prices, so it's recommended to visit a trusted and larger-brand pharmacy. One of the most reliable is called Generics Pharmacy, which has locations all over the city (and in the Philippines in general). Mercury Drug is also a recommended pharmacy.
• If you're interested in IUDs, you can get them in the Philippines for about 2300 PHP, which includes the pre- and post-ultrasounds. Total cost is about 2500 PHP with the meds (7 days of doxycycline and plenty of mefenamic for the post-procedure pain).
• If you're interested in injectables, you can get them at public health centers, private clinics or women’s health clinics (with trained service providers). You should know that, in the Philippines, the injectables available are progestogen only, also known as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA).
• If you're interested in implants, you should be able to get them at private clinics or women’s health centers and organizations, such as Likhaan, St. Lukes and UP-Philippine General Hospital. There are reports that public health workers in Metro Manila are still being trained in how to handle them properly. However, Implanon access has been challenged and is supposedly very difficult to access due to the Catholic lobby.
• You can get an IUD inserted at Likhaan Center for Women's Health. They are recommended by locals and they've been advocates for women's access to contraceptives in the Philippines since the 1990s. To read a personal account of getting a Paragard IUD insertion at Likhaan (for free), click here.

Costs

You can expect to pay between 40-900 PHP for a one month supply of birth control pills. For example, at Generics Pharmacy, here are some price quotes in 2016: Althea 21 (430 PHP), Diane 35 Pills 21 (636 PHP), Yasmin Pills 28 (905 PHP), Yaz (808 PHP), Nordette (200 PHP), Trust pills (43.75 PHP) and Lady Pills (44.75 PHP). For IUDs, you can expect to pay about 2300 PHP for the procedure and an addition 200 PHP for medications.

Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

There are conflicting reports on the legality of the dedicated emergency contraceptive pill (the morning after pill) in the Philippines. While many people say that it's completely illegal and inaccessible, other people say that it is possible to obtain emergency contraception with a prescription. If you walk into a pharmacy in Manila and ask for emergency contraception, you'll typically be told that EC is not available in the Philippines.

Generally, when women in the Philippines need emergency contraception, most turn to what's sometimes call "The Nordette method." This is when you use oral contraceptives (birth control) as a replacement EC. To do this, they take a certain number of birth control pills, which has a similar effect as emergency contraception. You can see in the section below ("What to Get and Where to Get it") how this can done in the Philippines.

Note: In the 1990s, Postinor (an emergency contraception brand) was registered in the Philippines. Yet, in 2001, Postinor was "delisted" by Filipino regulatory authorities. It is estimated today that 9.7% of Filipino women of reproductive age have knowledge of emergency contraception.

What to Get & Where to Get It

If you have had unprotected sex, you can get an IUD (which may protect you up to 5 days after unprotected sex) or take the morning after pill (which may protect you for 3-5 days after unprotected sex). There are no dedicated morning after pills in the Philippines, but you can use hormonal birth control as replacement emergency contraception instead. To do this, you can go to a pharmacy, like Generics Pharmacy, Mercury Pharmacy or Watson's, and ask for any of the following pills. It's especially common to ask for Nordette in the Philippines. Follow the instructions below, provided by the Princeton EC Website.

You can use oral contraceptives as emergency contraception. If you want to use progestin-Estrogen combined pills, you should remember that, in in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used as EC. For the following pills, take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later:

• Femenal
• Nordiol

For the following pills, take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

• Charlize
• Lady
• Nordette
• Rigevidon 21 + 7
• Seif
• Trust Pills

Costs

Nordette should cost you around 190-200 PHP.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

There are no travel restrictions assigned to anyone with HIV or other STIs. As stated in the Republic Act, "Nobody will be quarantined, isolated, denied entry to the Philippines or deported from the country due to a confirmed or suspected HIV infection." Furthermore, it is legal to import antiretrovirals for personal use (for up to 6 months), though you should carry a prescription from a doctor. However, if you are seeking legal residency in the Philippines, you may be rejected if you are HIV+.

Testing Facilities

Home Test Kits

• HIV Test Kit: This is a Filipino website/company that allows you to take an HIV test and see the results in the privacy of your own home.
• Here's more information on home test kits. And here's the Oraquick website, which is one of the largest companies known to give kits for at-home HIV tests.

Free Testing Sites

"These HIV testing sites are satellite clinics of RITM or Research Institute for Tropical Medicine which is the main HIV research center in the Philippines. Testing is free and staffs are a little bit friendlier than the stressed out staffs in the hospitals but then again, Lines are usually long as they serve hundreds of clients a day and it might take 2 hours before getting tested."

• Love Yourself Testing: Has a few locations in the Philippines. In Metro Manila, their location is in Pasay City. "Do you need assistance in getting yourself tested for HIV? It is completely ANONYMOUS, CONFIDENTIAL, and FREE. Our trained and certified HIV educators and counselors are willing to assist you privately and discreetly."
• RITM Satellite Clinic: Free and confidential HIV test. Address: #1850 Leon Guinto Street, Malate, Manila, Phone: 353-8922

Public Facilities

Note: If you go to a public facility and test positive for HIV, it's very likely that the facility will ask about your sexual history, put your information on government record and potentially try to monitor your sexual practices.

• Social Hygiene Clinic:
  • Manila: Operating hours, Mon – Thu: 8:00pm to 3:00pm. Free HIV testing. Results in 10-15 minutes. Confidential consultation and STD meds, HIV/AIDS testing and post-test counseling, dissemination of informational materials, referrals to other hospitals and peer counseling groups. You can ask for Dr. Diane Mendoza – Social Hygiene Clinic Physician. Address: 208 Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz. (in front of San Lazaro Hospital), Phone: (2) 711 6942 | +63920 577 9074, Email address: manilasocialclinic@yahoo.com.
  • Makati City: Address: Social Hygiene Clinic, JP Rizal Street, BarangayPoblacion, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila, Philippines, Phone: +63 2 870 1615
  • Pasay: Address: Room 106, Pasay City Hall, F.B. Harrison St, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, Phone: +63 2 551 4180
• San Lazaro Hospital - Department of Health: "San Lazaro Hospital is a referral facility for Infectious/ Communicable Diseases. It is one of the retained special tertiary hospital of the Department of Health." Address: Quiricada St, Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines, Phone: +63 2 732 3777.
  • Tip: "San Lazaro Hospital may look really scary and sketchy but it's the primary screening place for STIs especially for HIV. All labs even those from Visayas and Mindanao have to mail their results to San Lazaro for confirmation. So I'd suggest that." - Where can I get free STD/STI test in Manila? - Reddit, 2017

Private Facilities

These facilities will cost more than the public clinics. But they will be more efficient and confidential.

• St. Luke's Medical Center HIV Clinic: Locations in Quezon City and Global City. "St. Luke's Medical Center will be an internationally recognized academic medical center by the year 2020. We are committed to deliver state of the art healthcare because at St. Luke’s Medical Center, the needs of our patients come first."
• The Medical City I-REACT Clinic: Does HIV tests for 1135 PHP (as of 2016). "The Medical City (TMC) has distilled 48 years of experience in hospital operation and administration in the establishment of its world-class healthcare organization that serves some 40,000 inpatients and 400,000 outpatients a year. The main facility is located on a 1.5 hectare property along Ortigas Avenue in the business district of Pasig City, Metro Manila. It is composed of 115,000 square meters of floor space, and includes two Nursing Towers with capacity of up to 800 beds, joined by a Podium, bridge ways and a Medical Arts Tower." Address: Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, Tel. Nos. (632) 988-1000, (632)988-7000, Email us: mail@themedicalcity.com.

Support

According to HIV Travel: "Treatment is very expensive. Foreigners won't get any public financial support. Public hospitals cannot be recommended. The treatment is cheaper in public hospitals, but foreigners still have to pay for themselves."

• Makati Medical Center: 2, Amorsolo Street, Makati City, Metro Manila, Phone: +632 815 9911, +632 892 5544
• Dr. Peter Kaliski: Medical Towers Makati, Herrera Corner Ormaza Street, Legaspi Village, Makati, Suite 615, Metro Manila, Phone: +632 817 7172
• The Health Action Information Network (HAIN): "HAIN serves research, information and education needs of Philippine and international agencies in health and development."
• Remdedios AIDS Foundation, Inc
• Network of Asia Pacific Youth (NAPY) (Quezon City)

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• There has been a nationwide HPV vaccination program in the Philippines since 2016.
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available in the Philippines, as of January 2018. This is due to the joint efforts of many organizations, including Department of Health (DOH), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), World Health Organization (WHO), and Love Yourself (TLY). In an effort to help educate the public about PrEP, Love Yourself has put together an informational website, which can be viewed here.

Menstruation

Note: In addition to pads and tampons, you can also use menstrual cups and menstrual underwear for your period. To learn more about menstrual cups, click here. To learn more about menstrual underwear, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• In Manila, you should be able to find pads, pantyliners and tampons. However, pads and pantyliners are much more common than tampons, and they're worn by the majority of Filipina women. If you want tampons, you should look for them in larger stores, especially international and chain stores, like Rustan’s Supermarket, Watson’s, Mercury Drugstore, S&R and the SM Department Stores.
• If you're interested in menstrual cups, you can check out Sinaya Cup, which is a menstrual cup made in the Philippines and sold online for 1,999 pesos. You can also go to online stores like Mama Baby Love, which sells Lunette in the Philippines, or LiveLoveLuna, which sells Lunette out of Singapore and ships throughout Asia. Also, certain Facebook groups, like Tipid Nanay and Parent's Circle Pasa-Buy, have group buys of menstrual cups. There appears to be no official sellers of DivaCup, MoonCup or LadyCup, so those brands probably need to be purchased online.

Here are some organizations that work on menstrual issues:

• Days For Girls Manila: "Days for Girls International is a grassroots 501(c)3 non-profit. Women, and girls discover their potential and self-value, are equal participants and agents of social change and are given opportunities to thrive, grow and contribute to their community's betterment while ensuring quality sustainable feminine hygiene." Contact: kerryann@daysforgirls.org. Kerryann Feliciano, Leader, n/a, Co-Leader. "Team mostly consists of volunteers working from home and gathering occasionally."

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Likhaan Center for Women's Health Inc: This nonprofit organization aims to provide affordable services to lower-income women in the Philippines. They also can provide contraceptive shots/injectables, contraceptive implants, and IUDs. "Likhaan is a non-government, non-profit organization established in 1995 to respond to women’s expressed need for sexual and reproductive rights and health services." Call +63 2 926 6230. Email: office@likhaan.org.
• The Medical City: This private, internationally-accredited hospital is probably the best medical facility in Manila. They appear to have 60 ob/gyns on staff, as of December 2018, and they have a Women's Health Floor (6th Floor) that focuses on a range of health issues. From the website: "The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology offers a wide scope of general and subspecialty inpatient and outpatient services that address every phase a woman experiences throughout her lifetime —from her pre-reproductive years through her childbearing and post-menopausal years. The Labor and Delivery Suite caters to all obstetrical and gynecological needs involving minor and major operations. This unique facility allows the department to offer many options during surgical procedures including great flexibility and safety in the birthing process." Address: Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (632) 988-1000, (632)988-7000. Email us: mail@themedicalcity.com
• St. Luke's Medical Center: This is also one of the best hospitals in Manila, and they have two locations (in Quezon City and Taguig City). It aims to be an internationally accredited academic medical center by 2020. From the website: "The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is committed to provide comprehensive, quality patient care in the specialty and sub-specialties of obstetrics and gynecology utilizing world-class technology, trailblazing research, and comprehensive training and education." Location 1 Address: St. Luke's Medical Center - Quezon City, 2nd Floor,Main Hospital, 279 E Rodriguez Sr. Ave, Quezon City, Philippines. Phone: 723-0101 ext. 5542. Location 2 Address: St. Luke's Medical Center - Global City, 8th Floor, North Wing, Main Hospital Building, Rizal Drive cor. 32nd St. and 5th Ave, Taguig City, Philippines. Phone: 789-7700 ext. 7755
• Perpetual Succor Hospital and Maternity: "Today after more than half a century of quality yet affordable service to the Filipino people, Perpetual Succor Hospital and Maternity is rated as secondary open hospital with 100 beds capacity." Address: 836 F. Cayco, Sampaloc, Manila, 1008 Metro Manila, Philippines. Phone: +63 2 731 1631.
• Metropolitan Medical Center: 1357 G. Masangkay St. Sta. Cruz, Manila, Philippines. Tel: 254-1111. Fax: 123-456-7890. Email: it@metromedicalcenter.ph

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

In January 2016, the Senate of the Philippines approved of a bill that would grant 100-day maternity leave to women in both the private and public sectors.

The Philippines has one of the highest birth rates and maternal mortality rates in Asia. Teenage pregnancy has doubled in the past decade, and 10% of Filipina teenagers are wives or mothers. Some of this can be explained by low levels of family planning knowledge and access. According to a Guttmacher Institute Study, "In the Philippines, 37% of all births are either not wanted at the time of pregnancy or entirely unwanted, and 54% of all pregnancies are unintended. On average, Filipino women give birth to more children than they want (3.3 vs. 2.4 children), highlighting how difficult it is for a woman to meet her fertility desires. This is particularly striking among the poorest Filipino women, who have nearly two children more than they intend to have (5.2 vs. 3.3 children)."

What to Get & Where to Get It

• The Medical City: This private, internationally-accredited hospital is probably the best medical facility in Manila. They appear to have 60 ob/gyns on staff, as of December 2018, and they have a Women's Health Floor (6th Floor) that focuses on a range of health issues. From the website: "The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology offers a wide scope of general and subspecialty inpatient and outpatient services that address every phase a woman experiences throughout her lifetime —from her pre-reproductive years through her childbearing and post-menopausal years. The Labor and Delivery Suite caters to all obstetrical and gynecological needs involving minor and major operations. This unique facility allows the department to offer many options during surgical procedures including great flexibility and safety in the birthing process." Address: Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (632) 988-1000, (632)988-7000. Email us: mail@themedicalcity.com

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the Philippines, abortion is generally illegal. According to the Philippine Constitution, "The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception." Furthermore, the Catholic Church, an incredibly influential force in the Philippines, condemns abortion.

Abortion is potentially permitted to save the life of a woman, but this is debatable. While no Filipino laws authorize abortions for women whose lives are endangered, "It may be argued that an abortion to save the mother's life could be classified as a justifying circumstance (duress as opposed to self-defense) that would bar criminal prosecution under the Revised Penal Code." Yet, as reported in the Rappler, "some medical health care providers erroneously deny life-saving procedures even in cases of intrauterine fetal death where therapeutic abortion is needed to save the life of the woman." Furthermore, "Expressing negative views on abortion is dangerous because it maintains the status quo where many medical providers threaten women with prosecution in cases of intrauterine fetal death, spontaneous abortion, abortion due to trauma from intimate partner violence and self-induced abortion."

Generally speaking, then, abortion can be called completely illegal. This means that in all cases, including to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment, endangerment of the woman's life, economic or social reasons or upon request, abortion is not permitted. If an abortion is illegally performed, the person performing the abortion may be subject to imprisonment. If the woman consented to the abortion, the prison term is typically six months to six years. If the woman did not consent to the abortion, the prison term is six years to twelve years. If the woman performed the abortion on herself, she may also be subject to two to six years in prison.

Despite the general ban, abortions are still performed in the Philippines every year, with the highest rates in Metro Manila. In 2012, it was estimated that 610,000 women in the Philippines received abortions. An underground economy of abortions exist, in which women typically pay 2000-5000 PHP for the procedures. These procedures are often unsafe, leaving women in unhealthy and vulnerable positions, with an estimated rate of 1000 deaths due to underground abortions per year.

According to studies, most women receive abortions in the Philippines during their first trimester. Yet about 25% receive their abortions in later stages, which is more risky. Some women manage to obtain medically recommended procedures, such as manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) or dilation and curettage (D&C). Many other women seek out other methods, such as plant and herbal concoctions (known as "pamparegla"), abdominal beating, abdominal massage (known as "hilot"), insertion of objects into the women (such as hangers or brooms), over-exercising, jumping from high places, ingestion of Cytotec (a stomach ulcer medicine which can also induce abortions), ingestion of Vino de Quina, and ingestion of other liquors.

As found in a UN Report, "...illegal abortion is performed in a climate of fear and shame resulting from strong cultural, religious and legal prohibitions. Surveys indicate that women resorting to abortion are often from economically disadvantaged groups and take this step because they are unable to provide for another child. Surveys also indicate a high incidence of repeat abortion. In a context of poor health conditions and widespread malnutrition, and where some 76 per cent of deliveries occur at home and only 21 per cent are attended by a physician, induced abortions are poorly performed and result in high maternal mortality and morbidity."

The Reproductive Health (RH) Law allows women to receive humane medical care in the event of abortion complications, but this does not mean that all women receive proper care. Many women do not seek out care due to social stigma against abortion, or fear or legal ramifications. As written in the Guttmacher Institute report, "In the Philippines, most unintended pregnancies resulting in abortion are preventable, as is nearly all abortion-related mortality and morbidity. Better information on sexual and reproductive health, as well as access to effective contraception, can lower the incidence of unintended pregnancy, thereby reducing the number of Filipino women who resort to unsafe abortion and experience the related health consequences. Investing in women’s health yields enormous benefits not only to women’s status and productivity, but also to their families and society as a whole."

Additional Information and Personal Testimonials:

• Documentary on the Underground Abortions of the Philippines
• Abortion in the Philippines: A True Story
• Filipinas buy, sell, rate abortions in online forum

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can potentially get the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out this link for details
• You may be able to find the "abortion pill" in Manila. It has been noted on some online forums that you can find Cytotec (one of the active ingredients in the abortion pill) sold by street peddlers in some districts. They typically only sell Cyototec, which is one of the ingredients, so they sell you lots of pills to make up for the fact that the other active ingredients are not being sold. But beware: Some of the peddlers may sell counterfeit, unhealthy or ineffective medicine. This is generally not recommended.
• If you are interested in receiving a legal abortion, you may consider visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, China, or Japan, where they are legally performed.

Costs

As abortions are clandestine, there are no official reports on prices. But procedures seem to vary in cost between 150 PHP (for traditional practices with midwives) to 5000 PHP (for more surgical procedures). There are reports of Cytotec pills going for around 200 PHP each, though the vendors typically recommend women purchase more than one pill (depending on how far along in the pregnancy she is).

Advocacy & Counseling

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Hotline for women in abusive situations: +632-922-5235 or +632-926-7744
• DSWD Crisis Intervention Unit (02) 734-8635; 488-3199
• Women’s Crisis Center East Avenue Medical Center (02) 926-7744; +632- 922- 5235
• NBI Violence Against Women and Children’s Desk (02) 523-8231 loc 3403
• Likhaan Center for Women's Health: Not sure if they're still operating. "Likhaan, founded in 1995, is an NGO dedicated to promoting and pushing for the health and rights of marginalized women and their communities. Their work includes women’s empowerment, universal access to the highest attainable standard of health care, primary health care, maternal mortality, contraception and unsafe abortion. Likhaan is based in the Philippines." Address: 27 Ofelia St., Bgy. Bahay Toro, Quezon City 1106, Philippines. Email: office@likhaan.org. Phone: (632) 454 3854. Fax:(632) 926 6230
• Philippines General Hospital, Chair's Office, Department of Emergency Medical Services: Helps with violence prevention. Address: University of the Philippines, Manila, Taft Avenue, Manila, Tel: 63-2-5235350; 5218450 , Fax: 63-2-5261709, Email: fernandz@skyinet.net, Contact Person: Leonora Canizares-Fernandez.
• BUKAL Bukluran ng Kababaihan sa Lansangan, supports women street workers: 26 C Mabilis Street, Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City 1100, Philippines, (63 2) 921 4974
• Buklod Center, support center for women, communities and health: 23 Rodriguez Street, Mabayuan, Olongapo City, Tel: (047) 223-5826, Fax: (047) 223-6321
• Lila-Pilipina, justice seeking group for former sex slaves of the Japanese military: P.O.Box 1019, Citimall, Diliman, 1100 Quezon City, Philippines, Tel/fax: (632) 921-1044
• Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific: Secretariat: Room 406, Victoria Plaza, 41 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan , Metro Manila 1500, Philippines, Tel: (632) 722-0859, Fax: (632) 722-0755, Email: adedios@phil.gn.apc.org

List of Additional Resources

• Republic of Philippines - Department of Health
• Department of Health - National Family Planning Program
• The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP): "The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) is the largest and most prominent non-governmental family planning organization in the Philippines."
• Philippine Commission on Women: "The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is the primary policy-making and coordinating body on women and gender equality concerns. As the oversight body on women’s concerns, the PCW acts as a catalyst for gender mainstreaming, authority on women’s concerns, and lead advocate of women’s empowerment, gender equity, and gender equality in the country."
• Metro Manila LGBT Pride
• Equaldex - Philippines: Information on LGBTQ rights and laws in the Philippines.
• Love Yourself: "Our Mission: By embracing and nurturing our self-worth, we inspire others to do the same and create ripples of positive change in the community. Our Vision: A model community of MSM and friends who empower and affirm the self-worth of youth and MSM in the Philippines."
• Asian Women's Human Rights Council: P.O. Box 190, Manila, Philippines
• Asian Women's Human Rights Council, Manila Secretariat: 4L Fil-Garcia Building, Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1013 Citimall, UP Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. Tel: (632) 924-6406, Fax: (632) 924-6381, (632) 921-1044, (632) 443-8281, Email: awhrc@phil.gn.apc.org.
• Batis Center for Women: Room 711, Don Santiago Building, 1344 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, P.O. Box EA-411 Remedios Street, Ermita, Manila, Philippines, Email: batis@phil.gn.apc.org
• Library for Women's Resources: 127-B Sct. Fuentebella St., Brgy Sacred Heart, Kamuning, Q.C. , Tel: 4112796, Fax: 9261956, Library: 9261431
• Cordillera Women's Education and Resource Center, indigenous women's rights, No. 18 Gen. Lim Street, Baguio City, Mailing address: P.O. Box 7691, GARCOM, Baguio City 752, DAPO 1300 Domestic Road, Pasay City, Philippines, Tel: (63) 74-442-6004 or 63 74 442 5347, Fax: (63) 74-442-4066
• Development Institute For Women In Asia-Pacific, The Philippine Women's University: Taft Ave., Manila, The Philippines, Tel: 521-33-83, Fax: 522-40-02
• GABRIELA National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Philippines (General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership and Action): 35 Scout Delgado St., Brgy. Laging Handa, Roxas District, 1103 Quezon City, Philippines, E-mail: gabriela@tri-isys.com (international correspondence) or gab_pid@tri-isys.com (within the Philippines) , URL: http://members.tripod.com/~gabriela_p.
• Institute for Social Studies and Action (ISSA): #29 Magiting cor. Mahiyain Sts., Teachers' Village East, Diliman, Quezon City, Tel No. 436-70-17, Telefax: 921-61-70, E-mail: issa@pacific.net.ph
• Institute of Women's Studies: 931 Estrada Street, Malate 1004, P.O. Box 3153, Manila, Philippines, Tel: +632 522 3551, Fax: +632 523 0693, E-mail: nursia@snap.portalinc.com or IWS@phil.gn.apc.org
• Institute Of Women's Studies: c/o St. Scholastica's College, 2560 L. Guinto St., Malate, Manila, The Phillipines, Tel: 507786 to 89/522-3551
• Isis International Manila: Postal address: P.O. Box 1837 Quezon City Main P.O., 1100 Quezon City , Philippines , Street adress: , 3 Marunong Street, Bgy. Central District, Quezon City 1100, Philippines, Tel: (632) 435 3405 or (632) 435 3408 or (632) 436 0312, Fax: (632) 924 1065, Commercial fax: (632) 815 0756 or (632) 817 9742 , E-mail: info@isiswomen.org or isis@mnl.sequel.net or isis@Phil.gn.apc.org
• National Commission On The Role Of Filipino Women (NCRFW): 1145 J.P. Laurel St. San Miguel, Manila, The Philippines, Tel: 741-5058/93, Telex: 40404 TXBOX 0893
• NWIN & SEAWIN: c/o Women's Resource And Research Center, QCC P.O. Box 1976, 1159 Quezon City, Phillipines
• Pilipina: 12 Pasaje de la Paz, Project 4, 1109 Quezon City, Philippines, Asian Women's Research and Action Group
• PROCESS/ Women's Desk: 54 Estrella Street, Makati, Metro Manila., Philippines, Tel: 817 58 25.
• Southeast Asia Women's Information Network: c/o Women's Resource and Research Center, Quezon City 1159, Philippines, Tel: 63 2 972860, Fax: 63 2 996 233
• Third World Movement Against Exploitation of Women: Project 4, Quezon City 1109. , Philippines , Tel: (632) 913-9255. , E-mail: Sol@phil.gn.apc.org
• University Center for Women's Studies, University of The Philippines: Corner Magsasay and Ylanan Street, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
• WEDPRO (Women's Education, Development, Productivity and Research Organization), Box 44-43 U.P. Shopping Center, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, Tel/fax: (632) 921-7053, Email: afs@quinet.net
• Women Studies And Resource Center: Room 207 2nd Floor, Santos Building, Malvar Extension, Davao City 9501, The Philippines, Tel: 6-40-71
• Women's Resource and Research Center: Miriam Maryknoll College Foundation, Inc., Katipunan Parkway, Loyola Heights, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
• Women's Studies: St. Scholastica's College, P.O. Box 3153, Manila, , The Philippines