The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) 55th Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting opened this year’s Advocacy Hour with a call to push for stronger, policy-backed efforts in heart health after reflecting on its past milestones. Themed “From a Programmatic to Policy Analysis” the Advocacy Hour emphasized the PHA’s role with its Advocacy allies in driving policy change through collaboration.
The idea was to bridge grassroots heart health programs with national health policies and focused on turning successes into institutional reforms.
“Today, we take a vital step forward—not just in treating cardiovascular diseases, but in shaping the systems that prevent them,” said Dr. Avenilo “Jun” Aventura, PHA Director III and Advocacy Chair.
PHA Communications Committee Chair Dr. Louella Santos echoed the call for synergy: “We are not just sharing success stories—we’re exploring how those stories can result in national legislation and systemic solutions.”
One of the PHA’s Advocay partners, the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO)was represented by Dr. Carolyn Narvacan-Montano, a member of its Board of Trustees.
Citing that obesity prevalence among children is on the rise, she stressed that this should be a concern of the government, parents and doctors.
“Obesity is not merely a cosmetic concern but a life-threatening health issue, which affects mostly children,” Narvacan-Montano stressed.
PASOO also uses PHA’s “PUSO MUNA” campaign, particularly one of its tenets “Obesity ay Iwasan.”
Meanwhile, ImagineLaw, a legal and policy advocacy non-profit outfit, showcased its efforts in continuing to push for healthier food policies.
Asked about the status of the “Healthy Food Marketing Environment Bill”, (which mandates front-of-pack warning labels (FOWL) on unhealthy products and limits child-targeted marketing), Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan said that we will follow it up during the 20th Congress. The good thing about it is we are not back to zero.
“While this effort is not just about consumer awareness—but about equity and protection, we also urged parents to be wise enough as consumers”, Millan added.
The Advocacy Hour found a new ally in veteran actress Cherry Pie Picache, who turned 55 today, said that it is never too late to start embracing lifestyle modification at forty- or 50-something.
She said that she began to be more serious about her health journey during the pandemic when she started losing friends and colleagues in show business, adding that her greater influencer is her son, Nio Tria, who has been an athlete since he was 6 years old.
Picache said “health is not a luxury. It’s not a reward. It is your birthright, and it is your responsibility,” she said.
“That’s why I get my labs checked regularly, as in every quarter. I keep track of my blood pressure, my sugar levels, my cholesterol. I want to know my numbers before they become a problem. Now they are all normal.” My doctor’s and lab appointments are sacred, so I don’t miss them,” she added.
Sharing her diet, she has been on OMAD (one meal a day). “I limit my caffeine intake by having one coffee a day and that’s it. She starts her day by doing some stretching. I stopped drinking soda three years ago and instead of chips, I eat dried fruits and nuts.”
She ended her message with: Don’t wait for pain to remind you to act.
Dr. Ruth Divine Agustin of the Department of Health (DOH) emphasized the value of home-cooked meals and the significance of being physically active among children instead of using gadgets for virtual games.
Ms. Cherry Pie Picache
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Drs. Lourdes Ella Santos, Ruth Divine Agustin, Carolyn Narvacan-Montano, Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan and Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr.
