PHA Advocacy Hour aligns local action with national reform for CVD health

THE Philippine Heart Association (PHA) 55th PHA Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting opened this year’s Advocacy Hour with a call to push for stronger, policy-backed efforts in heart health after reflecting on its past milestones. Themed “From a Programmatic to Policy Analysis” the Advocacy Hour emphasized the PHA’s role with its Advocacy allies in driving policy change through collaboration.

The idea was to bridge grassroots heart health programs with national health policies and   focused on turning successes into institutional reforms.

“Today, we take a vital step forward—not just in treating cardiovascular diseases, but in shaping the systems that prevent them,” said Dr. Avenilo “Jun” Aventura, PHA Director III and Advocacy Chair.

PHA Communications Committee Chair Dr. Louella Santos echoed the call for synergy:

 “We are not just sharing success stories—we’re exploring how those stories can result in national legislation and systemic solutions.”

One of the PHA’s Advocay partners, the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO)was represented by Dr. Carolyn Narvacan-Montano, a member of its Board of Trustees.

Citing that obesity prevalence among children is on the rise, she stressed that this should be a concern of the government, parents and doctors.   Obese children are more likely to become obese adults.

“Obesity is not merely a cosmetic concern but a life-threatening health issue, which affects mostly children,” Narvacan-Montano stressed.

PASOO also uses PHA’s “PUSO MUNA” campaign, particularly one of its tenets, “Obesity ay Iwasan.”

Meanwhile, ImagineLaw, a legal and policy advocacy non-profit outfit, showcased its efforts in continuing to push for healthier food policies.

Asked about the status of the “Healthy Food Marketing Environment Bill”, (which mandates front-of-pack warning labels (FOWL) on unhealthy products and limits child-targeted marketing), Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan said that his group will follow it up on the upcoming 20th Congress. “The good thing about it is we are not back to zero because we have a long list of allies in Congress and Senate who pledged support for the bill,” he said.

“While this effort is not just about consumer awareness—but about equity and protection, we also urged parents to be wise enough as consumers”, Millan added.

Dr. Ruth Divine Agustin of the Department of Health (DOH) emphasized the value of home-cooked meals and the significance of being physically active among children instead of using gadgets for virtual games.  She also discouraged the public from drinking/eating ampalaya and garlic as potent cure for diabetes and hypertension which is a myth.