BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Eliminating tuberculosis (TB) requires a unified effort involving all sectors of society, as the battle cannot be won by the health sector alone.
This was the key message conveyed during the National TB Program Regional Coordinating Committee meeting on April 28, 2026, where partners and stakeholders gathered to align strategies and accelerate progress toward TB elimination.
“Ang laban natin sa TB ay hindi kakayanin ng DOH kung kami-kami lang ang gagalaw. Kailangan po namin ang tulong at pakikilahok ninyo, at ang inyong presensya ngayon ay patunay ng inyong suporta,” Dr. Shelly M. Aral, Medical Officer IV of the Department of Health-Cordillera (DOH-CAR), said.
Based on DOH-CAR data, diagnosed TB cases in the region in 2025 totalled to 5,825, with Baguio City topping the list, followed by Abra and Kalinga with over 1,000 cases each. In Baguio, 231 cases have been recorded so far this year.
Aral expressed gratitude for the continued support and active participation of various agencies and groups in combating TB.
In presenting the Philippine Acceleration Action Plan (PAAP) for TB 2023–2035, Geeny Anne Austria, Nurse V of the Department of Health-Cordillera, said this is the country’s roadmap toward ending TB as a public health concern. Released in 2024, the plan has only nine years to full implementation, and calls for high-level, inter-agency, and inter-sectoral responses.
She stressed that health outcomes are heavily shaped by social determinants such as education, income, environment, and lifestyle, factors that go beyond the scope of the health sector alone.
“Ang kalusugan ay hindi lamang usaping medikal. Ito ay apektado ng antas ng edukasyon, kabuhayan, kapaligiran, at maging ng gawi o ugali ng tao. Kaya hindi sapat na sektor ng kalusugan lamang ang kumilos, kailangan ang suporta ng lahat,” they emphasized.
Guided by Republic Act 10767 or the Comprehensive TB Elimination Act, the regional coordinating committee is composed of different clusters organized to address specific needs.
The Social Protection cluster is by DSWD, with DEPDev, PhilHealth, DOLE, among others.
DepEd leads the Education, Public Information, and Community Engagement cluster with CHED, PIA, and DOH.
For Labor Protection, DOLE and CSC.
The Support Services include the DILG, LGUs, PhilHealth, FDA, and DOTr.
Through this multi-sectoral approach, stakeholders aim to address not just the medical aspects of TB but also the underlying conditions that drive its spread and persistence, ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey toward a TB-free region and nation. **JDP/MAWC-PIA-CAR
