Last August 14, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center, a one-stop wellness center located at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The wellness center is the first of its kind in the Philippines. The one-stop wellness center features a 100-bed tertiary hospital.

The Philippine medical tourism industry can benefit from the growth of cosmetic surgery in the country. The growth of the cosmetic surgery industry in the Philippines was brought about by the quality and the cost of the cosmetic procedures in the country.

A fourth patient has died from the A( N1H1) flu in Australia.  The patient was a 71-year-old woman from Melbourne.  The patient’s death was reported last Thursday, June 25. While the A(H1N1) flu in Australia is mild, it can affect patients who have pre-existing medical conditions before contracting the disease. The family of the patient did not want the medical records of the patient to be released.  Australia has 1,509 recorded cases of A(H1N1) as of Friday , June 26.

Manny Pacquiao, considered as today’s best pound-for-pound boxer in the whole world, is planning to develop a tourism economic zone in General Santos City, his native province in the Philippines. The planned mixed-use ecozone is designed to encourage tourism and economic activity in General Santos.  The plan for the economic zone was presented by the representatives of the Manny Pacquiao Heights Development Corporation to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) last May.

The First Negrense Beauty, Health and Wellness  just finished up. It was held in Bacolod City and  started on April 23 to and ended  April 26, 2009. The show highlighted the beauty, health and wellness industry in Bacolod and to promote the province as a viable medical tourism destination in the Philippines. The event was organized by the Office of Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Sigue, the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and the Spa Association of Negros Occidental.