Diagnostic Centers and Lab Tests in the Philippines: Common Tests, Typical Prices and How to Choose

Quick Answer: A complete blood count costs ₱180 at the Philippine General Hospital's outpatient rate and several times that at a private diagnostic chain, and 13 common tests are free under PhilHealth YAKAP. Here is what the usual tests are for, what they cost where, and how to choose a licensed laboratory.

Laboratory testing in the Philippines runs on two price lists. Government hospital laboratories charge published rates that are a fraction of private prices: at the Philippine General Hospital a complete blood count is ₱180 for an outpatient at the pay rate and fasting blood sugar ₱60. Private diagnostic chains charge two to three times that for the same tests, with faster service and branches everywhere. And since 2025, 13 common tests are free under PhilHealth YAKAP when your registered clinic's doctor orders them. This guide explains the usual tests, what they cost where, and how to choose a licensed laboratory. Listings: diagnostic services and medical services on Healthcare Philippines, for example Globalife Medical Laboratory and Polyclinic.

What are the common tests for?

Test	What it checks	Fasting?	PGH outpatient pay rate (₱)
Complete blood count (CBC)	Anaemia, infection, platelets; the first test for dengue	No	180
Urinalysis	Urinary infection, kidney problems, diabetes signs	No	240 (automated)
Fasting blood sugar (FBS)	Diabetes screening and monitoring	Yes, 8 to 12 hours	60
Lipid profile	Cholesterol and triglycerides; heart risk	Yes, 9 to 12 hours	410
Creatinine	Kidney function	No	50
12-lead ECG	Heart rhythm and signs of heart disease	No	70
Chest X-ray	Pneumonia, TB, heart size; required for many employment certificates	No	About 165 (service rate)
HbA1c	Three-month average blood sugar	No	On the hospital's schedule
Ultrasound	Abdomen, kidneys, pregnancy, breast, thyroid	Sometimes	About 345 for kidney (service rate)

Source for the government figures: the Philippine General Hospital rates and fees schedule, which prices every test across patient classes (outpatient pay, ward, private, suite) and charges service patients less again. Other DOH hospitals publish similar schedules, for example Dr Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital.

What do the tests cost where?

Where	Typical CBC	Typical lipid profile	What you get
Government hospital laboratory (PGH and DOH hospitals)	₱150 to ₱180 outpatient; less for service patients	₱400 to ₱700	Lowest prices; queues; request slip usually required; results often next day
Rural health unit or city health center laboratory	Free for residents and YAKAP-registered patients	Free under YAKAP if on the list; otherwise referred	Basic tests only; programme days
Private diagnostic chain or hospital laboratory	Two to three times the government outpatient rate	Two to three times the government rate	Walk-in, same-day results, online release, HMO accepted, branches in malls
Home service or mobile laboratory	Chain price plus a call-out fee	Same	Convenience for elderly or bedridden patients

Prices at private centers vary by city and branch and change every year; ask for the current price list before the draw, and ask whether a package (blood chemistry panels, executive check-ups) is cheaper than the tests you need individually. It often is not.

What is free under PhilHealth YAKAP?

Once you are registered with a YAKAP clinic, its doctor can order any of 13 outpatient laboratory tests, done at the clinic or a partner laboratory at no charge, and refer you for six cancer screening tests (mammogram, breast ultrasound, low-dose chest CT scan, alpha-fetoprotein, liver ultrasound, colonoscopy) at accredited facilities, which may not charge for them (PhilHealth YAKAP FAQ). The condition is that the order comes from your registered clinic; a test you ask for yourself at a private laboratory is not reimbursed. Our YAKAP guide covers registration.

How do you choose a laboratory?

1. Licence. Clinical laboratories, X-ray and imaging facilities need a Department of Health license to operate, must display it, and must be headed by a licensed pathologist (laboratory) or radiologist (imaging). Ask to see the current certificate.
2. Accreditation. DOH-licensed laboratories take part in the National External Quality Assessment Scheme; some private laboratories also hold ISO 15189 or College of American Pathologists accreditation, which they will advertise.
3. The request. Bring the doctor's request slip so the right test, not a package, is run. Under YAKAP, the request must come from your registered clinic.
4. Preparation. Fast for blood sugar and lipids; bring previous results for comparison; tell the staff about medicines that affect results.
5. Results. Ask for the turnaround time, whether results are released online, and whether the laboratory will send them to your doctor.
6. Price. Compare the government outpatient rate with the private quote. For a routine annual set, a DOH hospital outpatient department or your YAKAP clinic is often the best answer; for speed and convenience, the chain.

Find laboratories and imaging centers under diagnostic services, hospitals with outpatient laboratories under government hospitals, and for what a hospital admission costs, see public vs private hospitals and what PhilHealth covers.