Here's their number:
(02) 524 1078
Yes, there is one—can you believe it? It's based at the Philippine General Hospital, and you can call them 24 hours a day.
Oh, and they answer the phone within two rings!
Forgive my overenthusiasm. It has not been a year since I tried to call 117 to find out if they could help me should my child ingest poison. You want to hear what happened there? Oh dear. Read it and weep: What happens if you call 117.
Oh, and I had tried calling the Philippine National Red Cross too. No luck there either.
So yes, I am overjoyed to find out that there is, in fact, a poison control office in the Philippines. Should my children accidentally ingest something toxic in the middle of the night, I will not be guessing what number to call, hoping the d*mn number works and that there is somebody competent and helpful who will answer on the other side.
Sidenote: Yesterday, my 4-year-old daughter climbed up the kitchen counter, reached up the 6-foot-high shelf, and swallowed an adult iron supplement tablet. Grrr.
