Tabaco city: The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) has launched the Proteksyon Para sa Altapresyon program, an initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare for Bicolanos, particularly those with hypertension. This program was officially unveiled in Tabaco City on Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, DOH-5 Director Rosa Maria Rempillo, through a message delivered by Assistant Regional Director Rey Millena, emphasized that the initiative is aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to improve preventive healthcare and tackle the growing issue of non-communicable diseases. Hypertension, a significant risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and early death in the Philippines, remains a primary concern in this program.
In the Bicol Region, data from the May Measure Month 2025 campaign revealed that over 1.5 million individuals were screened, with 189,153 people, or 17 percent, found to have elevated blood pressure. However, an estimated two million adults remain unscreened, highlighting the need for the initiative's focus on prevention and early intervention. Rempillo noted that the rollout aims to shift the health system's focus from treatment to prevention by bringing essential services directly to communities and encouraging early screening, continuous monitoring, and sustained disease management through the DOH PuroKalusugan (PK) grassroots program.
The initiative also seeks to achieve a 50 percent hypertension control rate by 2028 by strengthening primary care and community engagement. Rempillo expressed gratitude to partners and local implementers for promoting health programs and ensuring that every Bicolano has access to quality healthcare. The initiative aims to expand access to care, improve treatment adherence, and build healthier, resilient communities across the Bicol Region by strengthening collaboration among health facilities, local governments, workplaces, communities, and partner institutions.
Dr. Yu Lee Park, the World Health Organization (WHO) health systems strengthening team lead for the Philippines, stated that the program aims to provide a whole-of-government approach and a whole-of-system care for people living with hypertension. The initiative will offer strong technical guidance to the DOH, enhancing the capacity of health workers to detect, counsel, and manage hypertension effectively.
Park emphasized the importance of proper forecasting of antihypertensive medicines to meet the needs of each community, ensuring that no one enrolled in the program is turned away due to a lack of medicine. She urged local government units in the region to integrate the program into their institutional systems to ensure ongoing healthcare services for the public.
Dr. Raymond Martin Corpus, medical officer IV of DOH-5, announced that the department will distribute at least PHP49 million worth of medicines and PHP12 million for equipment for hypertension and diabetes to various geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. He expressed optimism that all medicines would be distributed to different provincial health offices in the second semester.
