Diabetes: signs, types, prevention and testing
Diabetes means there is too much sugar in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind, and it can go unnoticed for years while it slowly harms the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.
Early signs can include being very thirsty, passing urine often, tiredness and wounds that heal slowly, but many people have no signs at all. A simple blood sugar test at your health centre or YAKAP clinic tells you where you stand, and finding diabetes early makes it easier to control.
The guides below explain the signs to watch for, the different types of diabetes, the small changes that lower your risk, and when to get tested. Get help straight away for very high or very low blood sugar with confusion, vomiting or drowsiness.
4 guidesUpdated November 1, 2026
In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. Call 911
Guides on this topic
Diabetes symptoms: early signs and how to get tested
The most common diabetes symptoms are peeing more, feeling very thirsty, feeling very tired and losing weight without trying. Type 2 diabetes often has mild signs or none at all, so adults aged 40 and above, and younger people with risk factors, should get a blood sugar test even if they feel fine. In the Philippines, a PhilHealth YAKAP clinic, such as many RHUs and city health centers, gives a free check-up and, when the doctor orders them, FBS or HbA1c tests.
Chronic kidney disease: signs, tests and dialysis
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) means the kidneys have slowly been damaged and no longer clean the blood as well as they should. Early kidney disease usually causes no symptoms, so a blood test for creatinine (eGFR) and a urine test are the only way to find it. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes. Treatment can slow it down. If the kidneys fail, dialysis or a transplant is needed, and PhilHealth helps pay for both.
Types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, gestational and prediabetes
Diabetes means the sugar (glucose) in your blood is too high, because your body cannot make enough insulin or cannot use it well. The main types of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes, which starts in pregnancy. Type 2 is by far the most common, and prediabetes is the warning stage before it. Each type has different causes and treatment. In the Philippines, blood sugar tests are covered when your PhilHealth YAKAP doctor orders them.
How to prevent diabetes: small changes that work
How to prevent diabetes: type 2 diabetes, the most common kind, can often be prevented or delayed. Lose a little weight if you are overweight, move at least 150 minutes a week, eat smaller rice servings and more vegetables, drink water instead of sweet drinks, and don't smoke. Adults over 40, or younger with risk factors, should get a blood sugar test, free at public PhilHealth YAKAP clinics.
Common questions
Each answer is in the guide it links to.
Questions about your own situation?
Mila, our Diabetes coach, answers in your language, free, any time. Mila is an AI agent, not a person: in an emergency, call 911.