Like clockwork, the Philippines remembered its dearly departed in the opening days of November.

We paused our busy lives to visit our loved ones’ graves, light a candle, and whisper a short prayer.

But have you ever wondered what are the 3 most common causes of death among Filipinos?

What are the diseases that send our countrymen to the grave?

Pinoy Killers: The Big 3

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the top three causes of death among Filipinos, for the first half of 2023 are:

#1 Ischaemic heart diseases (19.3%)

#2 Neoplasms (10.4%)

#3 Cerebrovascular diseases (10.3%)

The what now?!

These don’t sound like something we’re very familiar with.

Well, these are broad medical categories and can cover a wide range of diseases. But if we put them in layman’s terms, that trio would be:

#1 Heart Attack (19.3%)

#2 Cancer (10.4%)

#3 Stroke (10.3%)

Ring a bell now?

We know a relative or two who has fallen to them.

The “Big Three” are nothing new. This trio has been fatally consistent. The #2 and #3 spots may swap in a given year, but it has always been these three that have consistently sent Filipinos to the grave…permanently.    

#1 KILLER: Heart Attacks

Not only is this the leading killer of Filipinos, but cardiovascular diseases are hitting our population at an earlier age.

“We are seeing younger and younger people being afflicted with cardiovascular diseases.” This is according to Dr. Maria Rosario Vegeire.

This is not even a communicable disease. You don’t get it by exposure to other people, like the common cold or flu. This is a lifestyle disease.

A lot of Filipinos are simply not living healthy lives. At risk for heart attacks are those chronically stressed, lacking physical activity, obese, and smokers and drinkers. 

Surveys show that 36% of Filipinos 20 years old and above are obese, and 20% are smokers.

If lifestyles don’t change, this trend will continue to reduce our numbers.

So be aware of the following symptoms of a heart attack:

• chest pain or discomfort (crushing or squeezing sensations in the chest)

• pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, and back.

• pain or discomfort in one (left) or both arms and shoulders

• shortness of breath

• nausea or vomiting

• lightheadedness

• fatigue and weakness

• anxiety

* Some symptoms of a heart attack may be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn.

#2 KILLER: Cancer

According to Philippine Society of Medical Oncology president Dr. Rosario Pitargue, the country posts 96 cancer-related deaths daily.

Lung cancer is considered the deadliest for Filipinos, followed by liver, breast, colon, and prostate.

Like heart attacks, the same unhealthy choices are linked to cancer diagnosis. The culprits are often smoking, alcohol, poor diet, and a lack of physical activity.

But what makes cancers infinitely more fatal is the typical Filipinos’ reluctance to get checked early on. Often, symptoms and pains are swept under the rug: 

• “Malayo ito sa bituka.”

• “Pahinga lang katapat nito.”

• “Peperahan lang tayo ng mga doctor na yan.”

• “Wala tayong panggastos. Pang grocery din yan.”

Many only come to the doctor as a last resort, when it’s already too late. In many of these cases, positive outcomes are associated with early diagnosis and early intervention.

Catching the cancer early bodes well for the patient. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many Filipinos.

#3 KILLER: Stroke

The Philippines has a population of 110 million. Only 5.7% are above age 65 years old. But despite this, stroke is still the #3 Pinoy killer. This would suggest that Filipinos are falling prey to it earlier in the life span.

A stroke happens when something interrupts or blocks the blood flow to a part of the brain. It’s like when a road gets blocked and cars can't pass through. Without enough blood, the cells in that area of the brain can't get the oxygen and nutrients they need, and they quickly are in trouble.

Remember the acronym F.A.S.T. to quickly recognize a stroke:

• F—Facial drooping. Is one side of the face numb and drooping?

• A—Arm weakness. Is the arm numb, weak, or can’t easily be raised?

• S—Speech difficulty. Is the person’s speech slurred and hard to understand?

• T—Time to call 911!

A stroke is not something that can be adequately treated at home. It is an emergency that requires immediate, professional, medical attention. Every minute counts.  

Because this is the case, an important element in our national response to stroke cases is the condition of the hospitals and facilities receiving the stroke victims, as well as the equipment and training of our medical personnel.

Unfortunately, we have serious gaps in these areas and we still need to adequately fund and improve access to our hospitals and treatment facilities. We need to develop systems of care that are fast and responsive to common emergencies like stroke.

Pinoy Life-savers: The Big 3      

We have learned about the 3 most common diseases that ail Filipinos. Now we also need to talk about three things Pinoys can do to safeguard their health and that of their families  

(We’ve already alluded to them in the previous section. )

#1 Life-saver: Healthy lifestyle

We already know the elements of a healthy lifestyle: A balanced diet, robust physical activities, adequate sleep, and avoidance of stress, cigarettes, and alcohol.

These practices don’t just prevent the three issues we’ve talked about, they will also help you ward off many other diseases. It will also help you manage your weight and energy, improve immune function, and guard your mental health.

Overall, a healthy lifestyle offers a fuller, more exuberant life!   

#2 Life-saver: Early diagnosis

These diseases are not the death sentences that they once were. We now have enough medical knowledge to treat, monitor, and manage them.

People can live long and fully functioning lives despite having medical issues.

But for best outcomes, and for humanity’s best medical knowledge to fully bear on a patient’s case, it has to be applied early on.

This requires early diagnosis. And this requires Filipinos to come in for regular check-ups, before things get serious and out of hand.

For things to change, Filipinos have to change their attitude on doctor visits and medical tests.  

#3 Life-saver: Coordinated Governmental Effort      

The government plays a pivotal role in public health. One of its duties is to ensure quick and broad access to medical services. So Filipino leadership should invest in infrastructure, equipment, and facilities to reinforce our health systems.

It is also responsible for developing and implementing health policies and frameworks that elevate the knowledge and training that our medical personnel receive. So doing, it will uplift the standards of care our people get.    

With these three Pinoy “life-savers,” we can defeat not only the “big three,” but more importantly, we can be a nation of healthy and productive individuals.   

BloodWorks Lab is the nation’s partner in health and well-being.

We help the Filipino family monitor the state of their health by offering checkup packages tailored to different needs. For example, we have the Senior Citizens’ and Diet/Weight Management Packages.

We are also your one-stop shop for all your blood test needs.

BloodWorks is the first in the country to introduce the Anti Acetylcholine Receptor (lgG) Antibody Test and the Anti N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (Anti NMDA Receptor) Antibody Test.

Book your appointment today.

Our branches are in Alabang, Katipunan, and Cebu.