Pastilan! Living the dog-eat-dog world of a Global Pinoy!

An American married to a Filipina had a dismal experience with one of the clinics in Manila. His wife and daughter were processing travel documents for Saudi Arabia when the wife was found unfit to travel causing much delay to obtain the visa.

Dr. Jade Israel of Christian E. Cangco Medical Clinic & Laboratory located in Makati City informed that the wife has a terrifying infectious disease that compromised her decency as a woman and declared her unfit to travel. Allegedly, Cangco Clinic conveyed that the disease is incurable and so when the woman inquired about her options, it was mentioned that 1,500 USD would be paid by the clinic as a penalty should they issue a certificate despite the positive result, leaving the woman wondering about the significance of this information to her case.

Allegedly, the clinic was being very careful not to directly imply to pay the fine in exchange of the “fit to travel” certificate. When she finally indicated her intention to seek a second opinion, the said doctor insisted that a second opinion was not allowed and that she was the final authority for declaring if the woman was fit or unfit to travel.

The Filipina was devastated. She immediately informed her husband about the result then went back to Iloilo to consult with her long-time OB/Gyn doctor and related what was told by the said clinic. The OB/Gyn doctor was surprised and immediately doubted the diagnosis based on the history of the patient. The woman’s doctor immediately contacted Dr.Israel and inquired why the patient was denied the opportunity to seek a second opinion, Dr.Israel claimed that there is a doctor in San Lazaro Hospital who provides second opinion for the GAMCO-accredited clinics on certain occasions but it is not applicable to her case. The woman’s doctor performed another independent blood test and it turned out negative but arranged anyway with the doctor in San Lazaro Hospital to see the woman for another testing.

The husband was forced to fly to the Philippines upon learning that his wife had been in a minor car accident while driving back to their home as a result of her severe emotional distress. He then immediately went to San Lazaro Hospital with his wife to take the same test withoutnotifying Cangco Clinic, the lab result turned out negative as well. The doctor in San Lazaro prepared a certification addressed to Cangco Clinic that she is negative and was never exposed to such a disease.

The results from San Lazaro Hospital and Iloilo Specialist Hospital challenged the outcome of the test done in the said clinic but allegedly, Dr. Israel was unrelenting about the mistake. Then they both agreed that his wife would take the same test again only if there would be two blood samples to be sent to two different GAMCO-accredited clinics, the results turned out negative as well. The clinic finally certified her “fit to travel” although the cost to the couple had already been damaging specially the psychological disturbance caused by the mistake. Dr. Christian Cangco, the Medical Director of the said clinic, promised that the examining physician will be dealt strongly and a reprimand will be instigated.

When Dr. Israel was notified about the issue through a phone conversation and was requested to provide her side of the story, she indicated that the matter would be handled by Dr. Cangco and declined to comment further. Dr. Cangco explained, through the phone, that their clinic reversed the result and indicated that the travel of the patient “was not delayed anyway and that she was able to proceed to Saudi Arabia after receiving the certificate.”

Israel also explained their laboratory equipment were just recently purchased and assured that their clinic is certified by ISO 9001 and TUV. When asked if he is aware of any direct or indirect solicitation in return of releasing medical certificates despite the failing laboratory results, he strongly commented that he does not condone any solicitation. He assured that this does not happen in Cangco Clinic.