Summer in the Philippines is usually the time for beach trips, family outings, and outdoor adventures. But along with the fun comes a higher risk of certain health problems. Knowing the most common diseases during summer can help you and your loved ones stay safe and enjoy the summer season without unnecessary trips to the hospital.
From heat-related health conditions to mosquito-borne infections, here’s a quick guide to the 9 Most Common Diseases During Summer in the Philippines every Filipino should be aware of, especially if you’re in or around Biñan, Laguna, and nearby areas in CALABARZON. Being informed is the first step toward prevention, and a few simple habits can go a long way in keeping everyone healthy this season.
1. Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
The Philippines is well-known for its intense summer heat, putting everyone at risk, whether you’re commuting, working outdoors, or spending the day at the beach.
Heat exhaustion symptoms include heavy sweating (matinding pagpapawis), dizziness (pagkahilo), headache (pagsakit ng ulo), nausea(pagduduwal), and fatigue (pagkapagod). If ignored, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Heat stroke symptoms include very high body temperature (napakataas na temperatura ng katawan), confusion (pagkalito), slurred speech (paglabo ng pananalita), fainting (pagkahimatay), and hot, flushed skin (mainit at namumulang balat).
Heat Stroke First Aid
- Move the person to a cool area
- Remove excess clothing
- Apply cool compresses
- Offer small sips of water if conscious
- Seek medical care immediately. If you are around Biñan, Laguna or surrounding areas, you may call (+63 02) 88 98 9700 for UnihealthSouthwoods Hospital Emergency Services.
For heat stroke prevention, avoid going outside during peak hours of heat, around 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, wear light and loose clothing, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, and take breaks when working outdoors. Knowing how to avoid heat stroke can make a real difference during the hottest months.
2. High Blood Pressure
Hot weather, dehydration, salty food, and disrupted daily routines during summer can make blood pressure harder to manage, even for younger adults in their 30s and 40s.
While hypertension has no obvious signs, a warning signal that shouldn’t be ignored is a hypertension headache. It’s typically severe, throbbing, and accompanied by dizziness and blurred vision. If you’re unsure what to do if blood pressure is high, the safest steps are to rest in a cool area, take your prescribed medication for hypertension if you have one, avoid physical exertion, and seek medical attention if symptoms are severe or don’t get better.
If you are asking, “can hot weather cause high blood pressure?”, the answer is “yes, it can”. Heat causes your blood vessels to open up and forces the heart to work harder, which can affect your readings. Staying hydrated, limiting your intake of salty food, and consistently taking your maintenance medicine are key habits to protect your heart health this summer.
Learn more about the reasons why you shouldn’t ignore high blood pressure symptoms in our blog.
3. Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the most overlooked diseases during summer especially for busy people who are constantly on the go. Dehydration happens when your body loses more fluid than it takes in, and in the Philippine heat, this can happen faster and easier than you’d expect.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include extreme thristiness (labis na pagkauhaw), dry mouth (panunuyo ng bibig), dark-colored urine, headache (pananakit ng ulo), fatigue (pagkapagod), dizziness (pagkahilo), and muscle cramps (pamumulikat). Many people mistake that these early signs are for the usual tiredness and push through, which only makes things worse.
For mild cases, dehydration treatment at home involves drinking lots of water regularly and taking an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) to bring back lost fluids and electrolytes more effectively than plain water. When it comes to how to prevent dehydration, consistency is the key. Carry a water bottle wherever you go, drink before and after any physical activity, and limit caffeine and alcohol intake during hot days.
Seek emergency care if dehydration also comes with confusion (pagkalito), fainting (pagkahimatay), or persistent vomiting (patuloy napagsusuka), as these may mean there’s already severe fluid loss that needs medical intervention.
For Unihealth Southwoods Hospital’s emergency contact, you may call us at (+63 02) 88 98 9700.
4. Bungang Araw (Prickly Heat Rash)
Bungang Araw, aslo known as prickly heat, is one of the most common skin conditions during the hot season. It happens when sweat gets trapped under the skin, causing very small red, itchy bumps that are usually found on the neck, back, chest, or underarms. Adults who commute every day, work outdoors, or wear non-breathable clothing are more prone to getting it.
A popular bungang araw remedy is keeping the skin cool, dry, and clean throughout the day. Using prickly heat powder, formulated exactly for this condition, can also help absorb moisture and lessen irritation. For more persistent or worse cases, prickly heat rash treatment may include mild anti-itch creams or a consultation with your doctor, specifically, a dermatologist.
To help prevent this, wear breathable cotton clothing, take a bath after sweating, and avoid thick, oily skin products during the hot weather.
5. Sunburn
Even just short moments of sun exposure can cause a painful sunburn, especially during the intense summer season in the Philippines. Sunburn symptoms include red, tender, warm skin that may form blisters or start peeling after a few days.
For mild sunburn cases, sunburn relief can be achieved at home by applying cool compresses, taking cool showers, and using a gentle moisturizer. These simple home remedies for sunburn can ease discomfort while your skin heals naturally. Drinking extra fluids can also help your body recover faster.
The best way to prevent sunburn is to apply sunscreen with SPF30 daily, SPF 50 if staying directly under the sun for a longer period of time, and reapplying after swimming or sweating. Wearing hats and clothes with UV protection also adds another layer of defense when you’re spending long hours outdoors.
6. Dengue and Malaria
Diseases carried by mosquitoes are a major health concern in the Philippines all year-round. Yes, not just during the rainy season, like what people usually think. Mosquitoes do not pick a time or season when they strike. The risk can actually increase during the warmer months when stagnant water becomes more common.
Dengue symptoms include sudden high fever (biglaang pagtaas ng lagnat), severe headache (matinding pagsakit ng ulo), pain behind the eyes (pananakit sa likod ng mata), body and joint pain (pananakit ng katawan at kasukasuan), rash (pamamantal), and easy bruising (madalingpagpapasa). Mild dengue symptoms can look manageable at first, but the condition can worsen very quickly without proper medical attention.
Malaria, on the other hand, is less common in urban areas like Biñan, Laguna, but still remains to be a concern in some provinces like Palawan. A key difference in malaria vs dengue is that malaria tends to cause chills (panginginig) and sweating (pagpapawis) repeatedly, while dengue more commonly causes a skin rash (pamamantal ng balat), and bleeding (pagdudugo) signs.
Dengue season in the Philippines is usually at its highest during and after the rainy season, but summer also sees an increase in cases as rains create new breeding grounds for mosquitoes. To reduce your risk, you should use mosquito repellent, wear long sleeves, and get rid of any stagnant water around your home such as those in drums, buckets, pots, and tires.
7. Ear Infection
Summer means more swimming, and more swimming means more possibilities of ear infection, sometimes called “swimmer’s ear”.Swimmer’s ear symptoms include ear pain (pananakit ng tainga), itching (pangangati), a feeling of fullness (pakiramdam na puno ang tainga), muffled hearing (kulob o malabong pandinig), and discharge from the ear canal (likido galing sa tainga).
Ear infection after swimming happens when trapped water creates a moist environment that lets bacteria or fungi grow. To make your risk lower, make sure to dry your ears thoroughly after swimming, tilt your head to each side to help drain the water, and avoid inserting cotton buds into your ear canal.
Please see a doctor if ear pain becomes severe, you notice discharge, or your hearing is noticeably affected. Early treatment is important to prevent any infection from spreading.
8. Sore Eyes (Conjunctivitis)
“Sore eyes” is the Filipino term for Conjunctivitis also known as “Pink Eye” which spreads quickly during summer through hand-to-eye contact, shared towels, or contaminated water. Sore eyes symptoms include redness (pamumula), itching (pangangati), watery discharge (pagtutubig), crusting around the eyelids (pagmumuta), and sensitivity to light (pagkasilaw).
While lots of people look for a home remedy for sore eyes, it’s important to know that viral conjunctivitis usually go away on their own within one to two weeks with proper rest and hygiene. You should wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, and avoid sharing personal items like towels or pillowcases.
See a doctor, specifically an ophthalmologist, if you experience any eye pain, blurred vision, or any symptoms that don’t get better after a week, as bacterial infections may need prescription eye drops.
9. Food Poisoning
Having warm temperatures causes food to spoil faster, making food poisoning more common during summer outings, reunions, road trips, and beach picnics. Food poisoning symptoms include nausea (pagduduwal), vomiting (pagsusuka), diarrhea (pagtatae), stomach cramps (pananakit ng tiyan), fever (lagnat), and general weakness (panghihina).
Food contamination often happens when food is left out for too long at room temperature, is not refrigerated properly, or has been prepared with unclean hands and utensils. Choosing food from clean, trusted sources and keeping cold food cold are simple but effective precautions.
For mild cases, food poisoning treatment at home involves resting, staying hydrated, and taking an oral rehyderation solution (ORS) to get back lost fluids. Avoid greasy or spicy foods as well until your stomach settles. Seek medical care immediately if you experience bloody diarrhea(pagtatae na may dugo), high fever (mataas na lagnat), or signs of severe dehydration.
General Summer Health Tips for Filipinos
Staying healthy this summer doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some practical tips you can immediately apply to help you avoid the most common diseases during summer.
- Stay hydrated. Make sure to drink lots of water, not just when you feel thirsty. Feeling thirsty is already a late signal that your body needs fluids. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and stock oral rehydration solution at home in case of heavy sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting.
- Have sun protection. Apply sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every morning and reapply every 2 hours or after sweating or swimming. Wear a hat and light-colored loose clothing as well and try to limit activities during 10 AM to 3 PM.
- Practice food safety. Properly refrigerate food, wash hands before handling food, and be mindful of how long food has been sitting out.
- Prevent mosquito breeding. Always check and clear your home of any places with stagnant water and use mosquito repellent when going outdoors.
- Keep skin clean and dry. Take a bath after sweating, change into dry clothing, and use prickly heat powder if you’re prone to heat rash.
- Monitor your health. Don’t skip your maintenance medication if you have chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes. Stay consistent even during holidays or travel.
- Know when to see a doctor. Seek medical care if you experience high fever, chest pain, severe headache, confusion, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, signs of severe dehydration, or any symptom that gets worse quickly. Don’t wait it out. Early consultation leads to faster recovery.
Stay Healthy This Summer in Biñan, Laguna!
Many of these common diseases during summer can be prevented by doing simple, consistent healthy habits. With the right knowledge and some preparation, you can enjoy your summer while keeping yourself and your family safe and well.
If you or your loved ones experience repeated or concerning symptoms this summer, don’t wait to seek medical care. Unihealth SouthwoodsHospital serves patients in Biñan, Laguna and surrounding communities in CALABARZON. Our team is ready to help you with everything from consultations and lab work to emergency care.
Visit us or contact us today to schedule a consultation. Your health should never take a summer break.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I get dengue more than once?
Yes, and the second infection is often worse. There are four different dengue virus strains circulating in the Philippines. Having one strain does not protect you from the others, and succeeding infections have a higher risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever, a more dangerous form ofthe illness.
Is it safe to swim in public pools or beaches during summer?
It can be, as long as the facility is well-maintained. Overcrowded or poorly cleaned pools can expose you to bacteria that cause ear infections, sore eyes, and stomach illness. Showering before and after swimming helps reduce the risk.
What’s the difference between food poisoning and a stomach virus?
Food poisoning comes from contaminated food and usually hits within a few hours of eating. A stomach virus is contagious and can take one to three days to develop. Both cause similar symptoms, so a doctor can help you tell them apart and recommend the right treatment.
Is it normal for blood pressure readings to fluctuate more during summer?
Some fluctuation is normal since heat causes blood vessels to widen. However, dehydration, salty food, and missed medications can push readings higher. If your readings are consistently outside your normal range, consult your doctor before making any changes to your medication.
When should I go to the emergency room instead of scheduling a regular consultation?
Go to the ER if you experience confusion, fainting, chest pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, bloody stool, high fever, or can’t keep fluids down. For milder symptoms like a low-grade fever, mild rash, or an upset stomach, a regular consultation is usually enough. Call us at (+63 02) 88 98 9700 for emergency services.