The Department of Tourism, Government of Philippines has prescribed a new program in addition to its existing agenda to position the country as a competitive medical tourism destination in Asia, targeting the wellness and medical tourism markets. This sounds well for the tourism industry as well the health industry of Philippines, as it is foreseen that the medical tourism industry is slated to grow at an amazing rate all over South East Asia. 

The Tourism secretary of the government of Philippines has taken requisite steps, based on his prior announcement of the Philippine Health Tourism Program, under which the Department of Tourism and Department of Energy along with the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (under the aegis of the Department of Health) will come together to offer inexpensive medical treatments, spanning various health related fields and combine the same with special tourism itineraries that will showcase the best tourist attractions in the country. 

This program is aimed for tourists, whose purpose to visit Philippines would be to undergo inexpensive medical procedures and treatments. The tours are specially designed to integrate the requisite medical programs by accredited hospitals and healthcare establishments. These will be offered to suit the needs of the various market segments classified on the required treatment basis. Philippines would be one of the few countries in South East Asia along with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India that form its core competition.  

The rules and regulations for accrediting health establishments are already in place and other establishments such as hotels are being evaluated on the standards already set by Department of Tourism. However, only one hospital until date seems to have net the standards set by the congregation of the three departments. Accreditation based upgrades are underway in many other health care establishments to get a pie of the future market of medical tourism.

The Government of Philippines, in support to the plan put in place by the Department of Tourism has manifested the potential of medical tourism in the 2004-2005 Investment Priorities Plan, thereby facilitating import of medical equipment at reduced tariff. The development of alternative traditional healing methods involving herbs and naturopathy, have also been given more importance. 

Tour programs have already been finalized to be integrated with medical packages, to be given more publicity using international sales missions and promotions. Addition of a Medical Tourism Forum would further strengthen the efforts of the department of tourism to bring the country to readiness in being counted amongst preferred health vacation destinations.