Health centers must be equipped vs venoms
The Philippines has more than 7,000 islands, and danger does not only come from storms or floods. Threats can also hide in rice fields, forest paths, seawaters, even schools.
Snake bites, marine venom exposures, and food poisonings are real public health threats across the country. However, lifesaving treatments are often hard to find and usually available only at large hospitals far from where emergencies actually happen.
Snake bite still takes lives, especially in rural and farm areas. The Philippine cobra, Samar cobra, and king cobra are common, putting agricultural workers and children at greater risks.
In January 2026, a 34-year-old woman died after a cobra bite along a river in Cotabato City during a New Year’s picnic. She succumbed to venom in about three hours before antivenom was available. In July 2025 in Sevilla, Bohol, a woman died from a king cobra bite. These deaths highlight that envenomation continues to be a present danger when antivenom and emergency care are out of reach.
Marine toxins are also harmful. A good example is puffer fish, locally known as butete, which contains tetrodotoxin that can paralyze or kill quickly. There are numerous reported casualties already in the Philippines, often affecting local fishermen or coastal residents who catch, cook, and consume the fish at home, sometimes believing that they know how to remove the toxic parts.
Venomous jellyfish, especially box jellyfish, is also found in Philippine waters. In 2014, actress Anne Curtis suffered from a box jellyfish sting, and in 2023, a 6-year-old child died due to jellyfish sting at a resort which led to calls for “Sandy’s Act” to improve safety protocols. Stonefish and sea snake envenomations are also documented in the Philippines.
Toxin exposures are not only from venomous animals. Food poisonings also affect communities. Last year, during a university tour to Kalanggaman Island, 177 students and 10 faculty members experienced suspected food poisoning that required hospital treatment. And who can forget the 2005 tragic incident in Mabini, Bohol that resulted in the deaths of at least 27 elementary schoolchildren and the hospitalization of over 100 others after consuming cassava-based snacks during recess? While initial investigations focused on improperly prepared, cyanide-rich cassava, subsequent studies found that the snacks were likely contaminated with pesticide.
Just this month, a 51-year-old Filipino content creator from Puerto Princesa died after eating a poisonous crab known locally as a “devil crab.” Scientifically known as Zosimus aeneus, these crabs have toxins similar to that of pufferfish. Cases of fatal crab poisonings were already reported before in the Philippines, like those Negros Island and Cagayan.
Consumption of sea turtle meat has also resulted in fatalities. In Maguindanao del Norte (2024), villagers experienced gastrointestinal poisoning, leading to three confirmed deaths and dozens hospitalized.
Actually, toxins are not entirely bad. Some offer opportunities, too. Works of Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz, a national scientist, on cone snail toxins or conotoxins, have contributed to groundbreaking medicines. Studies on conotoxins led to the development of ziconotide, a nonaddicting drug used for severe chronic pain, especially for cancer and AIDS patients.
This tells us that our country’s rich marine biodiversity is both a source of danger and lifesaving innovations. And to think that the Philippines is the center of marine biodiversity in the world, there are many waiting to be uncovered.
The common thread in preventable deaths is delay. While some cases have no specific antivenoms or antidotes, at least immediate supportive therapies must be performed. Municipal health centers and rural hospitals are often the first and only source of care. When they are not equipped, referrals can cost precious time and lives. Unlike progressive countries where they can fly critical patients through helicopters, here we have poor infrastructure and long-distance travel that can further delay treatment.
The Department of Health must lead a coordinated national response. Antivenoms and other emergency supplies should be readily available with clear policies on minimum stock, proper cold storage, and regular monitoring.
Local government units should identify, map, and analyze the most common snakes and other toxic hazards in their areas to ensure the correct antivenoms and other treatments are available. Public education is also important.
The Philippine geography makes toxin exposure unavoidable. What is avoidable are the deaths. Preparedness must extend from the mountains to the sea because every Filipino life is worth saving.
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Teresa May Bandiola is an academic pharmacist, young adult author, medical activist, podcast host, and a newbie travel vlogger who actively promotes local destinations. She can be reached at bandiolateresamayb@gmail.com.
