In 2024, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) managed an average of 200 snake bite cases. By 2025, the figure surged to 600 cases. This represents a 60% increase, according to Dr. Ella Joy Nogas, a medical expert at the SPMC Poison Treatment and Control Institute.
This is alarming. However, the good news is that even with the increase in cases, Dr. Nogas indicated that the mortality rate among patients who arrive at SPMC remains low, approximately one to two percent.
“I believe that around 60% have a mortality rate of about 1 to 2% once they reach us. However, those who are not referred to us by phone and are not transferred to SPMC tend to have a higher mortality rate,” Dr. Nogas disclosed during Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao.
Edge Davao’s roving reporter Maya Padillo, who attended the press briefing, cited the doctor who mentioned that not all snake bites necessitate antivenom; however, prompt medical assessment is essential to ascertain if venom has been injected and to observe patients for indications of envenomation.
The Philippines, being a tropical country, is home to a wide variety of snakes. Some reports indicate that it hosts over 100 species of snakes, making them relatively common across different environments, such as forests, grasslands, and even urban settings and residences.
While many of these snakes pose no threat, there are several that are highly venomous. Notably, among these are three species of spitting cobras that are indigenous to the country: the Equatorial Spitting Cobra, the Southeastern Philippine Cobra, and the Northern Philippine Cobra, which is also referred to as the Philippine Cobra.
The Southeastern Philippine Cobra, commonly referred to as the Samar Cobra, is prevalent in Davao City. Its diet primarily consists of small rodents, including rats and mice, but it also hunts frogs and smaller reptiles. Due to the attraction of its primary food sources to rice paddies and human habitats, this species frequently encounters conflicts with humans.
Samar cobra is easily recognized by its distinctive yellow-and-black coloration. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as a Category 1 venomous snake species of medical significance.
“Here in Davao, we have the most venomous cobra in the Philippines, which is the Samar Cobra. Even though it is small, it can deliver a bite that injects venom,” Dr. Nogas said.
A research article featured in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene showed the mortality rate due to cobra bites could be as high as 107.1 deaths per 100,000 individuals annually. The majority of the victims were young, with a median age of 17, and 98% were male. Merely 8% of the victims studied managed to reach a hospital.
In the Philippines, the Word Population Review report indicates that around 14,000 snakebite incidents take place each year, leading to 200–300 fatalities. This figure underscores the considerable effect of snake bites on the country’s public health.
However, the 200-300 deaths annually from snake bites do not reflect the true situation. “(The figure) does not include those undocumented and improperly documented ones,” says Dr. Patrick Joseph G. Tiglao, board of director and secretary general of Philippine College of Emergency Medicine, Inc. the current President and founding member of the Philippine Toxinology Society, Inc. “Snakebite incidents alone may reach thousands if data are gathered throughout the Philippines. It’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
Most of the victims are living in rural and mountainous areas. As such, there is no real record to speak of. “Mainly because snakebites are happening in the outskirts, in the community where most of the patients would rather go to the traditional healers than consult with physicians,” Dr. Tiglao says. “With lack of data or documentation, presto, the disease does not exist.”
Many Filipinos who suffer snake bites often succumb due to a lack of knowledge regarding appropriate actions to take, or because the hospital to which they are taken lacks the necessary antivenom.
Antivenom is the only proven treatment for venomous snakebites and it saves thousands of lives annually in industrialized countries like the United States and Great Britain. But in developing countries like the Philippines, the situation is different.
In a privilege speech delivered last May, Senator Raffy Tulfo raised alarms about the inadequate supply of antivenom in the country’s “crucial regional hospitals.” He noted that residents of Metro Manila might perceive “snake stories” as mere fictions.
However, he stressed that this perception is misguided, as numerous Filipinos — especially those residing in rural areas — live in constant fear of snakes, which can be deadly. “Snake bite incidents are really rampant,” Tulfo pointed out.
The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) serves as the country’s primary anti-venom manufacturer. Unfortunately, its production capacity remains insufficient to meet national demand. RITM is based in Muntinlupa City and located in what is now Filinvest City, a central business district in Alabang.
“Snakebite is one of the neglected tropical diseases,” Dr. Tiglao points out.
While most of the snake species are harmless, the best advice is to treat all snakes as potentially dangerous. About 19 venomous snakes have been identified in the country, but they are classified into four categories: cobras, pit vipers, coral snakes and sea snakes.
Snakes inject venom through their fangs. “Snakes that inject venom use modified salivary glands,” the WebMd.com explains. “Venom is a modified form of saliva and probably evolved to aid in chemical digestion. Varying degrees of toxicity also make it useful in killing prey.
“During envenomation (the bite that injects venom or poison), the venom passes from the venom gland through a duct into its snake’s fangs, and finally into its prey,” the website adds.
Snake venom, the United Nations health agency says, can “cause paralysis that stops breathing, bleeding disorders that can lead to fatal hemorrhage, irreversible kidney failure and tissue damage that can cause permanent disability and limb loss.”
“Filipinos must be aware that snakebites are preventable,” says Dr. Tiglao, who is the Chair of the South East Asian Remote Envenomation Consultancy Services (S.E.A. RECS), which do volunteer consultations for those inflicted with snakebites. “It is also curable when
properly managed.”
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Tiglao shares the following first aid measures to prevent further harm: Do it R.I.G.H.T
· Reassure the patient to keep calm and avoid panicking.
· Immobilize the extremity or part bitten.
· Get to the appropriate Hospital immediately.
· Tell the doctor the details pertaining to the bite (events prior being bitten, symptoms, first aid done, location of the bite, snake characteristics or picture of the snake).
“Filipinos should be aware that we have three species of cobra and all are being treated with one antivenom,” Dr. Tiglao says. “The antivenoms are limited to specific hospitals, mostly government institutions. For other species of snakes, we do not have antivenom for them. So, if you are bitten by a pit viper, no antivenom is available in the country.”
