RAO Subic Office will be closed on the following Philippine and/or U.S. Holidays below:

• March 31, 2025 (Monday) - Eid-al-Fitr

• April 9, 2025 (Wednesday) - Bataan & Corregidor
• April 17, 2025 (Thursday) - Maundy Thurs
• April 18, 2025 (Friday) - Good Friday
• March 19, 2025 (Saturday) - Black Saturday
• March 20, 2025 (Sunday) - Easter Sunday

The visit scheduled for 17 March at RAO Subic, has been postponed. No new date has been scheduled.

Navy and Army Recruiters will visit 11 and 19 March respectively to offer services to U.S. green card holders and U.S. Citizens. Please note, I did not say anything about Filipino citizens as the U.S. Military does not currently recruit non green card holders or U S citizens. Please don't ask about them as you will be wasting both of our time.

Eye Dr visit 12 Mar. Discounted glasses and free eye exam, 8-12.

FPO---The Fleet Post Office has notified us that due to many violations of the 1 lb weight limit and members having food stuffs (which includes powders and mixes) shipped thru FPO, and is causing a rodent problem, they are putting a halt to delivery of those items, no exceptions!!! Additionally, they will revoke the privilege of FPO to repeat offenders. Please advise our senders that including packaging your mail cannot exceed the 1lb limit. Recommend splitting packages into multiple shipments if possible, otherwise you will need to use civilian couriers which can become quite expensive.

VA Secretary slams media reports about benefit cuts!

Click here to watch the video.

Confirmed RAO Subic will be closed in observance of Presidents Day, February 17, 2025 (Monday).

As of 10 Feb a number of FPO boxes have gone unpaid for CY 25. As of that date those boxes have been closed. RAO will no longer accept delivery of mail to those boxes. Should the owners of those boxes wish to renew, the annual renewal is P5100, +p100 for Jan and P100 for Feb. This is a particularly bad time to allow your box to expire as we are receiving proof of life letters from both SSA and VA. Failure to respond to their letters may result in suspension of benefits. Also have begun to see 1099R tax forms for CY24. It is advisable to take action now!

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – On April 1, the TRICARE Online Patient Portal will no longer be available. The Department of Defense’s new electronic health record—MHS GENESIS—has replaced the TOL Patient Portal. As part of the transition, the DOD is decommissioning the TOL Patient Portal.

If you want to keep a copy of your legacy health records for personal use, you must download them from the TOL Patient Portal before April 1.

Click here to read more.

We are happy to announce that veterans can now come to RAO to seek assistance in registering for the I D ME application. There are some very strict rules which must be followed. During the recent outreach we asked the VA rep to tutor 2 of our staff on the procedures. They did so well they assisted VA at the outreach in getting a big number of Vets registered. Now we can do it here in the office. We will begin this offering tomorrow 5 Feb from 11:00 to 14:00, also will be doing it on 6 Feb. and each Wed and Thursday until the deadline for registration is reached. A recent change to the deadline was extended to 4 March 2025.

Click here to read more.

Some of our members are running into problems getting meds now that VA is closed down. A member has forwarded the below info regarding a Dr friend of his who is interested in helping our vets. The member has known him for years and vouches for him enthusiastically!

The RAO does not know him and can't endorse but if you need help give him a try and see.

DANIEL SALVADOR L. REDOÑA, MD

Ophthalmologist-Natural Medicine

09281952272

Clinic Address: JH ORIENTAL MEDICAL CLINIC Blk 48 Lot 10 Friendship Highway Bgy Cutcut, Angeles City 2009 Pampanga

Making Subic Experience Awesome! SubicGo.com is a tourism portal designed for local and international tourists visiting the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

SubicGo

GREAT NEWS!
Its official, as of today 16 August 2018, Ace/Baypointe is authorized to accept Tricare patients under the Preferred Provider category. You will have to check with the HMO office to ensure your Dr. is also on the Preferred Provider list. There are currently 31 Dr's who are, but check to be sure or you will have to pay the Dr's fees.

And oh by the way, please resist the urge to repeat the bad news bears (you know the ones who have their names stenciled on the back of their bar stool) who are spreading rumors about ACE BAYPOINTE and Medical City Clark suspending FMP due to non payment. IT DIDNT HAPPEN! Medical city Ortigas did due to non payment by FMP. Come to find out they gave FMP the wrong mailing address to which FMP mailed the payments. All is fixed now and they have withdrawn the suspension.Â

Old saying better to be quiet and be thought a fool, than opening mouth and leave no doubt.

I have taken the opportunity to compile a list of what Drs, and Specialties AT ACE BAYPOINTE, to the best of my knowledge are also certified as preferred providers. The hospital is in the process of adding to this list. As you all are aware this list changes without notice, so before getting treatment it would be to your benefit to check with the hospital HMO office to ensure the Dr you will receive treatment from is in fact still certified as preferred. The HMO can be reached at 047-250-6070 ext 283 or 507.

Name Name	Specialization Specialization	Gender Gender
Ablang, Alberto Mariano, MD	Pediatrics, Critical Care	Male
Ablang, Marietta, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguila, Beverly, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguila, Beverly, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Female
Aguilar, Rodrigo	Gastronology/Int Med	Male
Alconga, Rudy	Pediatrics	Male
Bernal, Gerald, MD	Internal Medicine, Cardiology	Male
Bongco, Jesusa	Anesthesiology	Female
Bongco, Rosario	Endocrinology	Male
Bustamante, Rodrick	Anesthesiology	Male
Calapatia, David, MD	Family Medicine	Male
Cepeda, Armando, MD	Surgery, General	Male
Cepeda, Monette, MD	Neurology	Female
De Castro, Felicisimo, MD	Ophthalmology	Male
De Castro, Ma. Gloria, MD	Obstetrics & Gynecology	Female
Dela Cruz, Anthony, MD	Internal Medicine, Diabetology; Occupational Health	Male
Dela Paz, Emmanuel, MD	Orthopedics	Male
DeLeon, Roberto	Gen Surgery	Male
Edejer, Karl Erjon, MD	Anesthesiology	Male
Guevara, Luis, MD	Radiology	Male
Hipolito, Charina	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Mallari, Lourdes	ENT Ear, Nose,Throat	Female
Mangahas, Rolan	Opthamology	Male
Manuel, Jesse Jewel, MD	Surgery, Orthopedic	Male
Mendoza, Arturo, Jr., MD	Surgery, General (Laparoscopic)	Male
Ocampo, Armida, MD	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Pasqual, Jeanette	Orthopedics	Male
Rojo, Margaret, MD	Anesthesiology	Female
Santos, Wilfredo, MD	Surgery, General ; Surgery, Oncology	Male
Soriano, Maria Agnes, MD	Internal Medicine, Diabetology	Female
Tablan, Apolonario Jr	Urology	Male
Velchez, Carlos	Hematology/Int Med	Male
Hipolito, Charina	Internal Medicine, Pulmonology	Female
Villareal, Paolo, MD	Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology	Male

FMP/Tricare

We continue to see vets who are receiving EOB's and checks for treatment at Medical City and Baypointe (ACE). Please be aware you should not cash these checks. They should be given to the hospitals. Should you cash the check a few things can happen, 1st FMP or Tricare may demand repayment, if you don't they can notify the IRS and either a garnishment or 1099 will be received and they get their money in the end possibly including interest. It can also be placed on your credit report. Secondly, you may be refused future treatment at the hospitals as you have an outstanding balance. Worst of all we may lose the hospitals as providers for FMP or Tricare. Sure wouldn't want to be the guy who causes all your fellow vets to lose that, they might be a little pissed when they find out it was you! You know how quickly word spreads around here!

Videos

Just want to draw your attention to some very useful videos being offered for free through va by psycharmor. View their catalog at PsychoArmor Institute.

Urgent Update: Reimbursment Checks:

It appears there is a malfunction with both TRICARE and FMP regarding reimbursement checks. They incorrectly recently have been sending the checks to the veteran vice the provider. Both have been notified this is the incorrect way to handle these checks! If you receive a check for a claim that was filed by the Hospital, please do not cash it. The hospitals participation was negotiated so that the hospital would receive payment. If they do not we will lose their services. The payment must be taken to the hospital and signed over to them to be encashed.

Special thank you to police station 6 Barrio Baretto for notification of recently deceased American Citizen! Their handling of situation was extremely professional, thanks SPO De Leon.