BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — There is a need for strong policy interventions to curb the use of tobacco and alcohol, the key drivers of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes of the Baguio City Health Services Office emphasized this during a forum at the Benguet State University on January 13, 2025.
Tubera-Panes said a policy like a total ban on tobacco could reduce the incidence of NCDs, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes, the top causes of death in the Philippines.
She cited the enactment of a generational tobacco ban in the Maldives, permanently banning anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2007, from purchasing, using, or being sold any form of tobacco products within the country.
“Structural change first before behavior. Kailangang may polisiya muna bago natin baguhin ang behavior ng isang tao,” Tubera-Panes emphasized.
The doctor stressed that adolescence would be the last best chance to break the cycle. With the current generation of young people making lifestyle decisions that could affect their long-term health, intervention at this stage could prevent NCDs from becoming even more prevalent in the future.
She also mentioned that studies show that chewing betel quid [momma] is a precursor to cancer.
Tubera-Panes said that there are more young people now than before, and if there is no action now, their lives may be at risk of chronic disease.
“Kailangan paigtingin ang campaign on that… They [tobacco and alcohol] are the root causes of NCD. I-correct mo ito, maco-correct natin ‘yan. Kailangan as early as now,” she said.
Considered cumulative diseases, NCDs develop slowly over long periods. This means that as the population ages, more individuals are affected by the diseases.
The trend is affected by the growing prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles such as poor diet, sedentary behavior, and the use of alcohol and tobacco, all of which contribute to NCDs.
Tubera-Panes urged the public, especially the young adults, to know their numbers, referring to the key health indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
She also called for greater health literacy to help people understand the risk associated with such practices.
The road ahead is not easy but with the right education, policies and interventions, the future generation can be better prepared to avoid the silent threat of NCDs, Tubera Panes said. **DEG-PIA CAR
