Press Release - Bong Go underscores importance of establishing Regional Specialty Centers and Super Health Centers as heart disease remains PH's 'top killer'

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, highlighted the important role of the newly signed Republic Act No. 11959, also known as the "Regional Specialty Centers Act," in response to alarming statistics revealing heart disease as the leading cause of death in the Philippines.

This legislation, which Go principally sponsored and is one of the authors in the Senate, mandates the creation of more specialty centers in regional hospitals around the country to bring specialized care closer to those in need.

"Kailangan nating magtulungan upang mapalakas ang ating kakayahan sa pagbibigay ng espesyalisadong pangangalaga sa bawat Pilipinong nangangailangan nito nasaan man sila sa bansa," Go stated, emphasizing the collective effort required to strengthen specialized care in the regions.

Under the Regional Specialty Centers Act, existing Department of Health regional hospitals in the Philippines will integrate specialty centers focusing on specialized care including heart diseases, among others.

This particular specialty addresses the critical need for advanced cardiovascular treatments and facilities to combat heart-related ailments other than those available in the Philippine Heart Center in Metro Manila.

"Meron kasing ibang nasa malalayong lugar na hindi na pumupunta sa mga espesyalista para magpakonsulta dahil sa sobrang layo. Imbes na igastos sa pamasahe, ibili na lang nila ng bigas at ulam" said Go, explaining how many Filipinos opt not to get specialized care due to financial constraints and the need to travel to specialty hospitals such as PHC in Quezon City.

"Kaya ang simpleng sakit katulad ng high blood pressure, dahil hindi natugunan, nahuhulog sa mas malalang kondisyon, katulad ng mga heart diseases. Mas magastos pa para sa pamilya at sa gobyerno," he added.

Heart disease remained the leading cause of death in the Philippines for the first half of 2023, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority. Ischemic heart disease was the most common, accounting for 19% of all deaths from January to July 2023, with over 65,000 cases.

Neoplasms, or abnormal tissue growths that may become cancerous were the second leading