Hypertension and diabetes should not be taken for granted. They are among the top causes of deaths in the Philippines, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In PSA’s 2025 provisional data, diabetes mellitus caused 37,978 deaths and was the leading cause of chronic dialysis, followed closely by hypertension for that year.

According to Dr. Bless Bertos, a senior project manager for SM Foundation’s Health and Medical Programs, hypertension and diabetes can develop quietly, sometimes for years. 

“A person may feel normal even while high blood pressure or elevated blood sugar is affecting blood vessels and placing the heart, kidneys, eyes, and other organs at risk. Left undetected or unmanaged, these conditions can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney disease and vision loss,” Bertos said.

The first line of defense against these two conditions is early detection.

“I have seen firsthand how early screening can help patients manage these conditions before serious complications develop,” she said. “This is why primary healthcare close to home matters.”

Early detection starts close to home

In communities where hospitals and other health facilities may be far from home, local health centers can be the first and most accessible point of care. Supporting this first line of care, SM Foundation works with communities to rehabilitate health facilities and complement these efforts with medical missions, bringing health services closer to vulnerable communities.

Depending on community needs, these rehabilitated facilities support consultations, maternal and child care, immunization, nutrition, family planning, health education, and monitoring of non-communicable conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

“Regular screening is important because both conditions may develop without noticeable symptoms. This is especially important for people with risk factors,” Bertos said. “If your results are elevated, my advice is the same: do not panic or self-medicate. Consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for proper assessment and guidance.”

She added, “If you have already been diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes, continue taking your prescribed medicines and attend follow-up appointments. Feeling better does not necessarily mean the disease is gone, and maintenance medicines should not be stopped without medical advice.”

Improving access to care

For many Filipinos, especially in underserved communities, screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up difficult because of the distance, cost, limited facilities and shortages of healthcare professionals.

Bertos believe that screening should never end with finding an abnormal result. 

“A patient with elevated blood pressure or blood sugar needs a place to return for assessment, treatment, monitoring and follow-up.”

This is where strengthened community health centers and SM Foundation’s medical missions can complement one another. Medical missions can reach people who may otherwise delay seeking care, while permanent community health facilities provide an accessible place where care can continue after the mission is over.

A health check can be the first step, but care should not stop there. Strong primary healthcare means giving people a place close to home where they can seek help early and return for continuing care. Through medical missions and strengthened health centers, SM Foundation seeks to help make that pathway to care more accessible and lasting.