A basic annual physical exam runs about ₱1,000 and an executive package can pass ₱15,000 — and the difference is not always worth the money. Here is what a standard APE actually includes, which tests matter at your age, how to prepare, and what to do with the results.
Most Filipinos who get an annual physical exam get it because their employer requires one, hand the results to HR, and never look at them again. That is a waste of the single best opportunity you get each year to catch hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol while they are still silent and cheap to treat.
The short version: a standard APE — history, physical exam, CBC, urinalysis, fasting blood sugar, chest X-ray, and usually a lipid profile — costs roughly ₱800 to ₱2,500 at most Philippine clinics. What you add on top of that should depend on your age, sex, and family history, not on which package the marketing brochure recommends.
Three Different Exams With Similar Names
They are routinely conflated, including by the clinics selling them.
| Annual Physical Exam (APE) | Pre-Employment Medical Exam (PEME) | Executive Check-Up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Routine health screening | Fitness clearance before hiring | Comprehensive screening |
| Who requires it | You, or company policy | The employer, before you start | Usually voluntary |
| Typical cost | ₱800 – ₱2,500 | ₱800 – ₱3,500 | ₱5,000 – ₱25,000+ |
| Who pays | You or your employer | Normally the employer | You or an executive benefit |
| Extras | Age-based add-ons | Drug test, sometimes hepatitis panel | Ultrasound, stress test, tumour markers |
On PEME cost: the Labor Code's position is that examinations conducted for the proper selection and placement of workers should not be charged to the worker, and DOLE guidance leans toward the employer bearing it as a condition of employment. Practice varies — some employers issue a letter of authorization, some reimburse on hiring, a minority ask the candidate to pay. It is a fair question to ask before you book.
What a Standard APE Includes
Nearly every basic package in the Philippines contains these six components.
1. Medical history and physical examination. The most valuable and most rushed part. A doctor asks about symptoms, family history, medications, smoking, alcohol, and occupation, then examines you — heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, skin.
2. Vital signs. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, height, weight, and BMI. Blood pressure alone is why the appointment is worth keeping: hypertension is the leading cause of morbidity in the Philippines and produces no symptoms for years.
3. Complete blood count (CBC). Red cells, white cells, hemoglobin, platelets. Detects anemia — common in Filipino women — plus infection and blood disorders.
4. Urinalysis. Screens for urinary tract infection, kidney disease, and sometimes the first sign of diabetes.
5. Fasting blood sugar (FBS). The primary screen for diabetes and prediabetes. Requires 8–12 hours of fasting.
6. Chest X-ray. Standard in the Philippines because of the tuberculosis burden, and near-universal in pre-employment screening.
Most packages also include a lipid profile (total, LDL, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides) and often an ECG from around age 40. Our guide to reading lab results explains what all of these numbers mean once you have them.
What to Add, by Age
The base package is the same for everyone. These are the additions that actually change outcomes.
| Age | Worth adding | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 20s–30s | Lipid profile; hepatitis B screening; cervical cancer screening from 21 (women); STI screening if relevant | Baseline values, and hepatitis B is prevalent and treatable |
| 40s | ECG; lipid profile annually; mammogram from 40–50 (women); thyroid function if symptomatic | Cardiovascular and breast cancer risk begins to climb |
| 50s | Colorectal cancer screening; prostate discussion (men); bone density if risk factors; eye and hearing checks | Colorectal and prostate cancer screening becomes cost-effective |
| 60+ | All of the above plus osteoporosis screening, cognitive check, medication review | Polypharmacy and fall risk become the dominant issues |
Family history overrides age. A parent with early heart disease, a sibling with colorectal cancer, or a strong family history of diabetes shifts the entire schedule earlier. Say so at the consult — it is the piece of information most likely to change what your doctor orders.
Do not buy tumour markers as a general screen. Executive packages love them because they sound thorough. For people without symptoms or specific risk factors, markers like CEA and CA-125 produce false positives far more often than early cancers, and each one buys you weeks of anxiety and follow-up scans. Ask your doctor whether a given add-on is indicated for you.
How to Prepare
Bad preparation produces bad numbers, and bad numbers produce unnecessary repeat tests.
- Fast 8–12 hours before blood extraction — water is fine and encouraged. Beyond 12 hours can distort results.
- Skip alcohol for 24 hours. It measurably raises triglycerides and liver enzymes.
- Take your regular medications unless your doctor said otherwise. Do not stop blood pressure medication to get a "better" reading — you are hiding the information the test exists to find.
- Avoid heavy exercise the day before, which can raise certain muscle and liver markers.
- Bring your previous results. A trend across three years is worth more than any single value.
- Wear something with sleeves that roll up, and skip jewellery and anything metallic if a chest X-ray is included.
- Women: avoid urinalysis during menstruation if you can reschedule, and tell the technician if pregnancy is possible before any X-ray.
- Sleep normally and arrive unhurried. Rushing in stressed inflates your blood pressure reading.
What to Do With the Results
This is the step almost everyone skips.
- Get the results explained, not just handed over. A number outside the reference range is not automatically a diagnosis, and one inside it is not automatically reassurance.
- Keep every copy. Trends matter enormously — an LDL climbing 15 points a year is a finding, even while each individual value stays "normal."
- Act on borderline results. Prediabetes and borderline hypertension are the stage at which lifestyle change still works. Waiting until a value is clearly abnormal means waiting until it is a disease.
- Book the follow-up before you leave. If something needs rechecking in three months, schedule it while you are still in the building.
If a result needs interpretation, a general practitioner or internist is the right person — see our guide to which one to see.
How to Pay Less
- PhilHealth YAKAP (formerly Konsulta). Registering with a YAKAP Clinic gives you a free annual check-up with your assigned primary care doctor, plus access to a panel of laboratory and screening tests at no cost. Which tests you receive depends on clinical indication and what your provider orders, so it will not always replicate a full private APE — but for many people it covers most of it. Details in our PhilHealth benefits guide.
- Your HMO. Most full plans include an annual physical exam at accredited clinics. Many members never claim it. Check your plan's benefits.
- Government health centres and city health offices, which run free or heavily subsidised screening programmes.
- Ask for a customised panel rather than a fixed package. A doctor ordering the five tests you need is usually cheaper than a bundle of twenty, and better medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an annual physical exam cost in the Philippines?
A standard package — history and physical exam, CBC, urinalysis, fasting blood sugar, and chest X-ray — typically runs ₱800 to ₱2,500. Adding a lipid profile and ECG pushes it toward ₱2,000 to ₱3,500. Executive check-ups with ultrasound, stress testing, and additional panels range from ₱5,000 to well over ₱25,000.
What is included in a standard annual physical exam?
Medical history and physical examination, vital signs including blood pressure and BMI, complete blood count, urinalysis, fasting blood sugar, and a chest X-ray. Most packages also include a lipid profile, and an ECG is commonly added from around age 40.
How long should I fast before an annual physical exam?
Eight to twelve hours before blood extraction. Water is allowed and helps, since dehydration makes it harder to draw blood. Fasting much longer than twelve hours can itself distort results, so an early morning appointment after an overnight fast is ideal.
Is an annual physical exam free with PhilHealth?
Largely, yes. Registering with a PhilHealth YAKAP Clinic (the programme that replaced Konsulta in 2025) gives you a free annual check-up and access to a panel of laboratory and screening tests at no cost. Which of those tests you actually receive depends on clinical indication and your provider’s order rather than being an automatic annual panel, so it may not match a full private package — but you must register with an accredited YAKAP provider first to get any of it.
Who pays for a pre-employment medical exam?
The Labor Code provides that examinations for the proper selection and placement of workers should not be charged to the worker, and DOLE guidance leans toward the employer covering it as a condition of employment. In practice many employers issue a letter of authorization or reimburse on hiring, though some ask candidates to pay up front — worth clarifying before you book.
Do I really need an annual check-up if I feel fine?
Feeling fine is exactly the point. Hypertension, high cholesterol, and early type 2 diabetes cause no symptoms for years while causing damage, and they are treatable and often reversible when caught at that stage. For healthy adults under 40 without risk factors, some clinicians suggest every two to three years is adequate; annual screening becomes clearly worthwhile from around 40 or earlier with family history.
Should I get an executive check-up instead?
Only if the extra tests are indicated for you. Executive packages add ultrasound, stress testing, and tumour marker panels, some of which are genuinely useful given the right risk profile. Blanket tumour marker screening in people without symptoms mostly produces false positives and unnecessary follow-up. Ask a doctor which additions your history justifies rather than buying by tier.
Book Your Check-Up
Find a general practitioner or family practice physician near you, or browse medical clinics and diagnostic centers offering screening packages.
This article is general health information, not medical advice. Screening recommendations depend on your personal and family history — discuss what is appropriate for you with a licensed physician.
doktor.ph Editorial Team
Health Systems DeskContributing writer at doktor.ph, dedicated to providing accurate and helpful health information for Filipinos.
