UN Multi-Stakeholders Hearing on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health and Well-being
May 2, 2025
SWS finds Food Warning Labels best steer Pinoy consumers, especially youth, toward healthier choices
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PRESS RELEASE
May 30, 2025
MANILA – As newly elected officials prepare to take office, public health advocacy network Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) urged lawmakers to take bold action now and prioritize preventive solutions to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that pose a growing and worsening public health crisis.
The HPA intensified their call to government leaders following its participation at this month’s United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Hearing and in time for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day this year.
“Our newly-elected leaders need to confront the truth that NCDs are the number one cause of deaths in the Philippines and continue to place a great burden on Filipino families. We urge them to take decisive action and implement evidence-based solutions to prevent NCDs and save thousands of Filipino lives,” said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, Lead Convenor of HPA, and former Health Secretary.
Galvez Tan added, “We have to address diet-related NCDs with policies like front-of-pack food warning labels on packaged products to reduce consumption of sugar, sodium, and fats. We also need more stringent policies to mitigate tobacco and vape-use especially among our youth that exposes them to higher risks of lung injury, cancer, and heart disease.”
A Call for Action on Health Inequities
The Alliance stressed that health disparities in the Philippines are driven by social, economic, and environmental determinants, disproportionately affecting marginalized, vulnerable, and poor communities.
In pursuit of solutions, the organization participated in a United Nations Multi-stakeholder Hearing early this month in preparation for the upcoming Fourth UN High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being (HLM4), set to take place this September.
During the hearing, advocates urged governments to prioritize evidence-based interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and long-term disease management.
Key Policy Recommendations
The Alliance outlined five critical measures to tackle the NCD burden:
- Strengthening nutrition policies, including reducing sugar, sodium, and saturated fat in ultra-processed foods.
- Expanding social protection mechanisms and safety nets for individuals living with NCDs.
- Investing in sustainable financing to develop healthier communities, promote physical activity, and reduce air pollution.
- Integrating NCD prevention, control, and wellness programs into universal healthcare or national health benefit packages.
- Enhancing primary healthcare services to improve accessibility and early interventions.
The group emphasized that tackling NCDs requires a comprehensive, multisectoral approach engaging both society and government. Advocates called on newly elected officials to build on past successes and align policies with global health initiatives to ensure the Philippines meets its Sustainable Development Goals.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Filipinos face a 24.5% likelihood of dying from NCDs between ages 30 and 70, compared to the Asia-Pacific average of 15.6%. Advocates call for urgent government intervention to address this raging epidemic of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses.
END
Contact persons:
HEALTHY PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE
Secretariat : healthyphilippinesalliance2018@gmail.com
Patricia Reyes, Communications Officer
+639760085498 / plamangune@gmail.com
Anelle Cortez, Project Coordinator
+639178139696 / anelledc@gmail.com
