PHA National President Dr. Walid Amil (right) with PHA STC President Dr. Ray Albert Cabigan
Health & Fitness PH | Health experts vow to help boost local tourism in Region 4 through CPR-ready Program & other medical initiatives By Leony Garcia | The CALABARZON-MIMAROPA region teems with God-given and man-made attractions that play hosts to visitors at any given day, to name some — Taal Volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Villa Escudero, Pinto Art Museum, Masungi Georeserve, Enchanted Kingdom, Caleruega Church, and Regina Rica; the paradise-like resorts in Palawan and Puerto Galera.
That’s why the newly inducted officers and members of Philippine Heart Association (PHA) Southern Tagalog Chapter (STC) thought of integrating health and tourism program to ensure both residents’ and visitors’ protection especially in times of emergency. One way is by propagating hands-only CPR and resurrecting the CPR on Wheels & Wings (CWW), a joint advocacy partnership between the PHA and the Department of Tourism from 2016 to 2020.
The caravan conducted free hands-only CPR in top 25 tourist destinations, teaching and empowering tourism/travel and hotel-resort industry workers with life-saving skills. it was halted by COVID-1 with Pilar, Bataan, as the last hop.
Another edge of CALABARZON it has tertiary hospitals – the Perpetual Help Medical Center-Binan, De La Salle University Medical Center, Dasmarinas, Cavite and Mary Mediatrix Medical Center, Lipa City, Batangas, which are PHA-accredited Cardiology Training Institutions. With this, the PHA STC will continue the “Guru2.0” program which educates physicians from other specialties and family medicine doctors how to assess cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Amil commends STC, the biggest PHA chapter with 249 members
The Southern Tagalog Chapter also expressed support for the DOT’s First-aid Kiosk Program in key destinations. The first batch of areas identified by the DOT were Boracay, La Union, Panglao, Bohol; Palawan and Puerto Galera. There are PHA chapters in all these places.
DOT First-Aid Kiosks provide immediate medical assistance and emergency response to travelers and tourists.
Manned by medical professionals, these kiosks, on top of basic first-aid tools, are equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and an efficient communication system. An AED is a portable medical device that can diagnose and treat sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electrical shock to the heart.
The chapter will also partner with influencers and organizations to combat misinformation on cardiovascular health; and constantly promote the PHA healthy lifestyle mantra: the PHA PUSO MUNA (Pagkain na masustansya; Huwag manigarilyo; Aktibong pamumuhay; Presyon ay kontrolin; Uminom ng maintenance; Sugar ay kontrolin; Obesity ay iwasan; Matulog nang kumpleto; Umiwas sa stress; No to alcohol; Ayawan ang cholesterol).
Induction of PHA STC officers and members
The ceremony on Novmber 8, led by PHA National President Dr. Walid Ami as inducting officerl, highlighted the STC’s priority projects for 2025–2027, toward a CPR-Ready region in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. The campaign seeks to bring CPR and the AED in every Filipino home and city to put the Philippines on the CPR-Ready country map.
“Thank you for putting your trust and confidence in me and my fellow officers. I am honored to continue the hard work and dedication of our past leaders and officers who have shaped PHA STC to what it is today,” PHA STC President Dr. Ray Albert Cabigan said.
Outgoing president Dr. Marlon Patricio reported that under his watch, the chapter trained more than 900 BLS ACLS enrollees.
“As we move forward, we aim to continue to increase these numbers through collaboration with local/municipal health offices, hospitals, training institutes and the NGOs with the goal of making every barangay CPR-ready,” Cabigan emphasized.
