Newly-elected leaders urged to tackle NCD crisis

As newly elected officials prepare to take office, public health advocacy group Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) on Friday urged lawmakers to act decisively and prioritize preventive measures to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which pose a growing and urgent public health crisis.

The HPA intensified its call following its participation in this month’s United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Hearing and in observance of World No Tobacco Day.

“Our newly elected leaders need to confront the truth that NCDs are the number one cause of death in the Philippines and continue to place a great burden on Filipino families," said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, HPA Lead Convenor and former Health Secretary.

"We urge them to take decisive action and implement evidence-based solutions to prevent NCDs and save thousands of Filipino lives,” he added.

Galvez Tan emphasized the need for policy action to address diet-related NCDs, such as requiring front-of-pack warning labels on processed food to discourage the excessive intake of sugar, sodium, and fat.

"We also need more stringent policies to mitigate tobacco and vape-use especially among our youth that exposes them to higher risks of lung injury, cancer, and heart disease," he added.

The Alliance further stressed that health disparities in the Philippines are fueled by social, economic, and environmental factors that disproportionately affect marginalized and vulnerable communities.

Earlier this month, the HPA participated in the United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Hearing, part of preparations for the upcoming Fourth UN High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on the Prevention and Control of NCDs and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being, to be held in September.

During the hearing, global health advocates urged governments to adopt evidence-based interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, long-term care, and improved health system responses to NCDs.

Key policy recommendations

The Alliance outlined five critical measures to tackle the NCD burden.

These include strengthening nutrition policies, including reducing sugar, sodium, and saturated fat in ultra-processed food; expanding social protection mechanisms and safety nets for individuals living with NCDs; and investing in sustainable financing to develop healthier communities, promote physical activity, and reduce air pollution.

Also among the measures are integrating NCD prevention, control, and wellness programs into universal healthcare or national health benefit packages and enhancing primary healthcare services to improve accessibility and early interventions.

The group emphasized that addressing NCDs requires a multisectoral approach involving both government and society. Advocates called on new leaders to build on past successes and align policies with global health strategies to help the Philippines achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the World Health Organization, Filipinos face a 24.5 percent probability of dying from NCDs between the ages of 30 and 70—significantly higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 15.6 percent.