DOT, DOH sign MOU to build tourist emergency facilities

The Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish emergency facilities in tourist areas in the country.

DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said the tourist emergency facilities seek to provide health assistance to tourists who may encounter issues in tourist destinations.

"This tourism initiative is very important because it conveys to the world that tourist safety is our priority here in the Philippines where we ensure that as our tourists enjoy our island destinations, we are also taking care of them should they encounter any illnesses, emergencies, or accidents," Frasco told reporters.

"This will be a first in Philippine tourism and we will roll this out in key destinations in the country," she added.

The Tourism chief said the first tourist emergency facilities will be built in Boracay, La Union, Panglao, Siargao, Palawan, and Puerto Galera.

Frasco explained that the profile of the incidences involving tourists will depend on the island destination.

"The aim of the tourist first aid facility is to be able to provide the right type of care required of the destination," she continued, noting that tourist care will vary in Siargao where surfing is prevalent, and in Cebu, a known diving destination.

"That is why we're tapping the expertise of the DOH that is able to populate these first aid facilities with the right resident doctors as well as the medical equipment that is responsive to the needs of the types of emergencies in the area," she added.

The initiative's aim, she furthered, is to provide a "efficient, timely, and effective" first response to tourist emergencies.

Meanwhile, DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said that while it is not realistic to build hospitals everywhere, the answer would be to establish tourist emergency facilities.

"I know many stories of tourists who got into injuries. You hear this, even [in] local tourists and they have nowhere to go. So when she [Secretary Frasco] brought the idea to me, I initially agreed," Herbosa added.

Frasco said the first groundbreaking is expected to happen in La Union next month, while the completion of facilities is slated in the first quarter of 2025.

A single tourist emergency facility will cost around P9.5 million, according to Frasco.

One facility will have an emergency tourist booth that contains a first aid kid, a defibillator, a stretcher, and a two-way communication system for emergency or distress calls.

It will also comprise three health personnel -- one doctor, one nurse, and one assistant, Herbosa added.