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

• October 14, 2024 (Monday) - Columbus Day

• November 1, 2024 (Friday) - All Saints Day
• November 2, 2024 (Saturday) - All Souls Day
• November 11, 2024 (Monday) - Veterans Day
• November 28, 2024 (Thursday) - Thanksgiving Day
• November 30, 2024 (Monday) - Bonifacio Day

The new STEP platform allows you to use a login.gov account to customize your subscriptions and receive country-specific email alerts during the timeframe of your choice. You can enroll multiple trips or locations at once and can modify your subscriptions or unenroll at any time.

Click here to read more.

As previously messaged, the Federal Voting Assistance Program is holding town hall meetings to answer questions and provide guidance on the absentee voting process.

Click here to read more.

US Embassy Consular Services Unit will conduct its American Citizen Services (ACS) Outreach Program in Clark.

Click here to read more.

This message contains additional venue and scheduling details for upcoming remote services events. Please read carefully if you are interested in attending one of these events.

Click here to read more.

Heavy rains and wind predicted today. Please stay at home. We will be closed today, your safety and that of our staff are paramount!

RAO SUBIC BAY will be closed today, based on predicted heavy rains and wind. Olongapo city has also issued an advisary of closure of all schools and local gov't business. Our RAO family and staffs safety is paramount. Have a safe and relaxing day!

The U.S. Embassy’s American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will provide the following services on September 10 in Olongapo, and September 11 in Angeles City:

• Notarial services
• Acceptance of Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) applications, and Acceptance of U.S. passport applications.

Click here to read more.

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of VSAFE.gov and 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-388-7233) – a new government-wide website and call center designed to protect Veterans, service members, and their families from fraud and scams.

Click here to read more.

Additions to RAO Quik Update Please add to your calendar that RAO will be closed on Monday 26 August for recognition of Philippine National Heroes Day.

Also from VA, As this is an election year, the U.S Embassy Manila has, for your convenience, placed a ballot box inside the public entrance of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic located at 1501 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Veterans who are visiting the VA Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic can drop-off their completed, signed, and sealed ballots. The ballot box is accessible from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on U.S. or Philippine holidays.

For more information, please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website, https://www.fvap.gov/, to learn how to register to vote or vote absentee in U.S. elections from abroad.

Phil holiday, NINO AQUINO DAY 21 AUG (WED). Havent seen an announcement yet but anticipate we will be closed. Will tentatively schedule a mail day for 22 Aug.

2025 Membership renewals. This time of year we review our financial situation for the remainder of the year. It looks like we will come up a just little tight. The past few years have been difficult due to the loss of members thru covid and deaths, and unexpected equipment failures. The good news is we continue to grow as new members are coming here to retire. Still have a bit to go to get back to pre covid membership. We are always mindful that our members are also suffering from the rampant inflation that we experience and with that in mind we have done all we can to cut expenses. Theoretically we would need to increase the cost of dues, but we have decided to hold fast with no increase, for 2025. It will remain at P5,100. We do however need to infuse our on hand account with a little help from you. Heres the plan. Should a member decide to renew the 2025 membership between now and Sept 30, the first 100 who do so will experience a savings of P500. During the period those quick acting 100 will pay P4600. Each succeeding month the dues will rise by P150.00, until Jan, but will be capped at 50 members during those months. In 2025 we anticipate new joins to be somewhere in the range of 70 to 100, making up for any shortfalls. New joins will pay the 2025 rate.Those 100 early renewals need to take action as quickly as possible, as we anticipate the 100 slots will fill very quickly.

We do not have any updates at this time on Recruiter visits or Embassy outreaches for the 4th quarter of this year.

Have a blessed week and try to stay dry and healthy!

If you’ve recently gotten a suspicious text message about your TRICARE coverage, don’t respond. Instead, report it to TRICARE.

Some beneficiaries have gotten a text message from 888-763-0248. The sender claims to be Wisconsin Physicians Service, the TRICARE For Life contractor. But the text message is really part of a phishing scam targeting TRICARE For Life beneficiaries. The message says the recipient’s TRICARE coverage will expire due to nonpayment. It tells the recipient to call a toll-free number.

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.