Taguig city: The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) launched its nationwide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) awareness campaign on Friday, mobilizing regional chapters, local government units, and institutional partners to transform communities into emergency-ready spaces. The initiative aims to establish a "CPR Ready Barangay" toward achieving a "CPR Ready Philippines," addressing the leading cause of mortality in the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, PHA President Dr. Aurora Gamponia highlighted that cardiovascular disease remains the top cause of death in the Philippines. "Every single day, sudden cardiac arrest happens, often without warning. When the heart stops, brain damage begins, and emergency care is critical within minutes," Dr. Gamponia stated at the National CPR Day celebration in Taguig City.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported ischemic heart diseases as the leading cause of death, claiming 122,339 lives and accounting for 19.7 percent of the country's total deaths in 2025. Neoplasms and cerebrovascular diseases followed, constituting 11.4 percent and 9.8 percent of overall mortality figures, respectively.
Emphasizing early intervention's impact on patient outcomes, Dr. Gamponia noted, "Immediate CPR gives that person a chance to survive, hopefully without deleterious effects. Hands-on CPR seems simple but must be executed perfectly to be effective." Multiple sites across the country participated in the rollout, drawing nearly 1,500 participants, including Barangay Rizal in Taguig City, Malate Catholic School in Manila, and others.
Uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard joined barangay health workers, teachers, and students for mass training. The event also highlighted the ongoing efforts to implement Republic Act 10871, known as the Samboy Lim Law, mandating CPR training in school curriculums.
Former lawmaker and Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao, the law's principal author, attended the Taguig main site. He expressed optimism with new national government leadership appointments, noting key figures who initially supported the bill are now positioned to enforce it. Guiao recounted his inspiration for the law, PBA legend Samboy Lim's sudden collapse during a game, urging youth to master life-saving techniques proactively.
Medical experts demonstrated simplified Hands-Only CPR steps, emphasizing check, call, and compress. This method aims to make CPR easily memorable for bystanders. Medical instructors suggested maintaining the required compression tempo by aligning rhythm to tracks like "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees or "Dynamite" by BTS.
The Philippines celebrates National CPR Day annually on July 17, as declared by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to instill a national health awareness campaign. Marcos signed Proclamation No. 511 on March 27, emphasizing CPR's lifesaving role in emergencies, including heart attacks or near drownings.
