Today more than half of all deaths in my country are due to NCDs. Thus, it is clear to the Philippine government that addressing NCDs contributes greatly to attaining and maximizing the country’s demographic dividend, which is crucial to sustaining the country’s economic performance.
Fuelled by our shared vision and inspired by our mission to save lives from NCDs, the Philippines has over the years exerted efforts to successfully implement several ‘best buys’.
Our tobacco control policies to date ensures smoke-free public places, prohibits tobacco advertising and promotion, and promotes awareness through mandatory installation of graphic health warnings on tobacco packs. We have also increased tobacco taxes three times in the last 7 years.
Unhealthy foods that are high in sugar, fats, and salt in are banned in primary and secondary schools. We also begun taxing sweetened beverages. The Philippine government, in partnership with our clinicians in the private sector and the WHO are strengthening efforts for hypertension screening, management, and control at the primary health care level.
Our Congress also passed three landmark health laws, namely the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act and the National Integrated Cancer Control Act – which seeks to ensure provision of quality health services and financial risk protection particularly for cancer patients, and the Mental Health Act, improve access to mental health services and address stigma and discrimination.
Moving forward, we seek to eliminate trans fat, and embed NCD medicines into the national health insurance program, signaling a shift away from NCDs as vertical program.
We believe that we were able to do many of the aforementioned initiatives amidst strong commercial lobby for three main reasons: political will from different branches of government and at various levels, readiness of local evidence to advance technical dialogue, and lastly, strong partnership with civil society organizations who continuously challenge the status quo and keep us on our toes.
The Philippines is in solidarity with the global community towards our shared goal of addressing the NCD epidemic. We commit to sustaining our current efforts and advancing new ones. Together we can do more, and together we can beat NCDs.
Thank you and more power to everyone!