With good cosmetic surgeons and cost competitiveness, the Philippines can offer these professional services to tourists as use as a launching pad for the government’s medical tourism campaign.
This was proposed by Dr. Almond Derla, a cosmetic surgeon professional, during a News conference for the introduction of his new clinic in Quezon City.
“We have good cosmetic surgeons in the country that we could capitalize on to promote medical tourism,” Derla said.
Among ASEAN members, Derla said Thailand is the better known country that offers beauty enhancement procedures although the Philippines has the capability to compete with Bangkok in terms of good doctors and cost.
So far, this sector of the economy is already robust but is catering mostly to the locals.
“Locally, this is already a very lucrative sector,” Derla said adding that “There could have been more local clients had it not for the cost factor.
But the foreign tourists can well afford our rates, which are cheaper than Bangkok. Tourists are also assured of our quality service.”
Derla, a graduate of St. Lukes College of Medicine and has been practicing cosmetic surgery for almost six years already, is now opening a new clinic “Le Estetica” in Quezon City to offer a more convenient place for his growing number of patients.
The state-of-the-art clinic was purposely located in Quezon City in the Morato area, where most of his competitors are located, after Derla has decided to compete in this market.
Derla’s two other clinics are located in Ortigas Center and one in Davao.
La Estetica, however, caters mostly to the upper class sector of the society or the Manila Socialites without fanfare. It does not advertise its services thus it could offer lower prices than the more popular cosmetic clinics.
La Estetica offers clinical dermatology, general dematologic surgery, aesthetic dematology, treatment for hyperpigmentation, and hypopigmentation, acne, chicken fox scars, treatment for excessive sweating and body odor, ultrasonic facials, carboxytherapy treatment, cell regeneration treatments, radio frequency, cosmetic surgery and costmetic tattoo.
With the robust industry growth, Derla stressed the need to strictly implement the law to guard against malpractices in this profession.
Derla cited the pending bill in Congress – the Integrated Philippine Medical Act, which seeks to limit the practice of non-specialists or the practice outside of one’s expertise to avoid malpractice.
While the bill has its good intentions, Derla said it also seeks to curtail the practice of cosmetic surgeons if passed because the bill would only allow plastic surgeon to perform cosmetic surgery when there are already highly trained and highly qualified cosmetic surgeons already in the country.
“It is unfair to cosmetic surgeons not to be allowed to practice their profession,” he said.
Derla, however, admitted that there is indeed a need to regulate the practice of cosmetic surgery as there is also the proliferation of derma and cosmetic clinics that are not run by professionals.
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