{"id":164,"date":"2023-04-11T18:18:20","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T10:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ambmanila.esteri.it\/servizi-consolari-e-visti\/servizi-per-il-cittadino-italiano\/assistenza-ai-cittadini-allestero\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T11:12:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T03:12:13","slug":"assistenza-ai-cittadini-allestero","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ambmanila.esteri.it\/en\/servizi-consolari-e-visti\/servizi-per-il-cittadino-italiano\/assistenza-ai-cittadini-allestero\/","title":{"rendered":"Assistance to citizens abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Healthcare Assistance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The local healthcare system does not provide any form of coverage; even emergency medical treatment is excluded.<\/p>\n

Please note that the Italian National Health Service does not<\/strong><\/span> cover medical expenses incurred by Italian nationals in the Philippines. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to take out, prior to departure, an insurance policy \u2014 with adequate coverage \u2014 that includes medical expenses as well as, where necessary, emergency medical repatriation by air (or transfer to another country)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For information regarding reimbursement of medical expenses incurred abroad, please consult the relevant page on the website of the Italian Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n

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Legal Assistance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Embassy does not maintain a legal office with attorneys licensed to practise in the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Should an Italian national encounter legal issues or disputes of a civil or criminal nature (whether under police investigation, charged with an offence, released on bail, or detained by local police or judicial authorities), the Embassy\u2014beyond offering general assistance\u2014can provide a list of local legal professionals whom the individual may contact for appropriate legal representation. The list of legal offices available under the heading \u201cList of Law Firms in the Philippines<\/a>\u201d is provided for reference only and is neither exhaustive nor binding.<\/p>\n

Drug legislation:<\/strong>\u00a0Drug laws in the Philippines are particularly strict. We strongly advise avoiding any contact with narcotic substances, even in small quantities for personal use. If local authorities find even trace amounts of illegal drugs during inspections or checks, the individual is likely to be detained pending criminal proceedings. This could lead to severe fines and long prison sentences, including life imprisonment in some cases.<\/p>\n

Further information is available under the \u201cSecurity\u201d section, specifically the paragraph entitled \u201cRelevant Local Laws,\u201d on the website\u00a0www.viaggiaresicuri.it<\/a>, by selecting the Philippines as the country of interest.<\/p>\n

Child Protection Legislation:\u00a0<\/strong>Philippine law regarding the protection of minors from abuse, exploitation, discrimination, and other offences (R.A. 7610 of 1992) imposes extremely severe penalties\u2014including life imprisonment and substantial financial fines\u2014for all forms of abuse, indecent acts, trafficking, and exploitation of minors.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the law includes provisions on strict liability offences. For instance, even simply being in the company of a minor (who is not a close relative) in either public or private settings may be considered an offence.<\/p>\n

Given these provisions and the fact that relationships of friendship or affection may develop with Filipino nationals who are parents of minors, it is strongly advised to avoid any situation where one is in the company of foreign minors without the presence of their biological parent.<\/p>\n

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Social Assistance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Limited social assistance services are available to Italian nationals who are in a \u10db\u10d3\u10d2\u10dd\u10db\u10d0\u10e0\u10d4\u10dd\u10d1 of financial hardship. Such individuals may receive support (financial or otherwise) from the Embassy to help them temporarily overcome their difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n

The requirements for obtaining assistance are:<\/p>\n