People living with NCDs are front and centre of the NCD response in the Philippines

Human rights and social justice, NCD care, prevention and meaningful involvement dominated the discussions in the Philippines this October, as the four key pillars of the country’s recently launched National Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs. 

Drawing from the experience of building the global Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs in 2017, which unites the voices of almost 2000 people living with NCDs from 76 countries, many countries have since developed their own national advocacy agendas to drive local action to meet global NCD targets. In October 2023, the Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) announced the launch of the Philippines Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs, aiming to place Filipinos living with NCDs, including their families and carers, at the heart of health policy and practice in the NCD response.

The Philippines Advocacy Agenda reflects the voices of 850 people with lived experience who were involved in focus group discussions and an online national survey conducted by the HPA, and elaborates on four main areas: Human Rights and Social Justice; Treatment, Care and Support; Prevention; and Meaningful Involvement.

The launch event on 25 October, which convened representatives from government, civil society, community organizations, and the private sector, as well as people with lived experiences, demonstrated the whole-of-society support for the document. Representatives were present from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Finance, Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, the National Nutrition Council, and the National Economic Development Authority.

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