- “You could be 25 years old chronologically, but if you have hypertension, diabetes, or you smoke, your heart may already be 50 years old.”
- “On the other hand, you could be 70 but with a heart that functions like a 40-year-old if you exercise, eat right, and manage your risk factors.”
— Dr. Dr. Augusto Nicolo Salalima, PHA
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BARANGAY BAGONG PAG-ASA, Quezon City, November 01, 2025 (SDN) — If you speak about the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) presently headed by Dr. Walid Ahmad Amil, president, there are many adjectives you can describe it and its more than 1,200 members spread across the country.
You can’t be wrong if you say compassionate, generous, noble, friendly, thoroughly professional, consistent, persistent, and many others. The PHA and its members are a credit to the Hippocratic Oath, to humanity!
While the PHA doctors are ultra-busy with their profession as heart doctors armed with at least 14 or more years of brain-wracking studies and ripened by experience, they have not stopped serving their countrymen, conducting various activitie revolving around their advocacy of Puso Muna (Heart First) to promote and call on people to take heed, slow down a bit, move more, and prioritize listening to the needs of the vital lump of muscles in their breast that keeps them alive.
Truth to tell, they can just do as they please, just resting at home after work and or on weekends, but no, they always find time and resources and be of service for free to their fellow Filipinos.
What if the heart suddenly stops beating without so much of a warning? Well, even if there are warnings of a fatal failure of the heart, such as shortness of breath, arms feeling weak, lightness, chest pain, easily being tired even when just walking, more so when climbing stairs, many people don’t pay attention. Either just being nonchalant, or procrastinating, or “no money for consultation”.
More dangerous is that, according to them, there are instances when there’s no warning sign, or symptom at all.
In one episode of Usapang Puso sa Puso (UPP), a regular feature of PHA advocacy for heart health, it was discussed that illnesses resulting from hypertension and diabetes are the ones that doctors dubbed “silent killers” for they strike without warning.
Dr. Iris Garcia, PHA advocacy chairperson, anchored the most recent UPP dubbed “Young Once, Young at Heart” in celebration of the Elderly Filipino Month in October, “a very especial conversation about caring for the heart across the life course.”
Celebrations such as the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 as the United Nations declared, Respect for the Aged in Japan, Elder Filipino Week in the Philippines, and Senior Citizens’ Month are reminders on a daily basis, not only during the said occasions, “about one thing, that growing old is not just adding years to life but adding life to living, adding life to these years,” she said.
Her guests were Dr. Augusto Nicolo Salalima from the PHA Council on Preventive Cardiology (CPC) and affiliated with the Tagaytay Medical Center (TMC) in Lipa City, and Mercado Medical Center (MMC) in Calauan, both in Batangas, and Dr. Naheed Mustofa, internist and medical nutrition doctor, and clinical doctor at The Medical City Luzon and a consultant at Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC), as well as Dr. Agnes Cubillas, geriatric physician at The Medical City, and Geriatric Care Specialty Center at the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
Dr. Salalima, first of all, reiterated, as he discussed doing exercise, the importance of going to a doctor, emphasizing the timeless truth that “prevention is better than cure.”
He says, “So, before one becomes a senior citizen (at 60), the food we eat, what we do in our younger age, we should be careful about them. We all know that the number one killer in the Philippines is ischemic heart disease…and its number one cause is what we call atherosclerosis.
“What is atherosclerosis? This is the depositing of fats in our veins. It is said that it is the illness of the elderlies, but what we don’t know is that at our young age, the first decade of life, we start accumulating cholesterol or fats in our veins.”
He emphasized that even at a young age nutrition and exercise should already be practiced and also keeping in mind the PHA Advocacy on Puso Muna with 11 recommendations to reduce the onset of cardiovascular disease, among them, eating healthy and nutritious food, not smoking, active lifestyle, doing exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
Dr. Cubillas made another important point. She explains that “it does not mean that just because you are already old, there’s nothing to life after that.
“We need to remember that as we look forward to our birthdays, as we look forward to our everyday life, (it’s) really very, very important the quality of life. Not just the quantity, or how old you are, but the quality of your life with your family, with your health, and with your community as well.”
The geriatric-focused doctor also noted that the medicine for 40 years old is not the same for 80 years old. “So, it’s really important to talk about it,” she adds, because the anti-hypertensive drug a 60 years old is taking is not the same for a 90 years old.
25 years old but with heart age of 50 due to many risk factors
Dr. Salalima made another important point, saying “heart age or biological age” depends on risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and overweight or obesity. “So, for example, you are 25 years old but you have many of those risk factors, your heart age gets old. So, it is possible that your chronological age is 25 but you have many risk factors, you maybe actually having a biological or heart age of 50 years old. It also happens in reverse. You have no risk factors, your diet is good, you exercise regularly, you have controlled hypertension or diabetes. So, it is possible that you are 70 years old, but your heart age may, actually, be like 40 or 45 years old.”
Dr. Mustofa explains the effect of nutrition and lifestyle on heart age. “So, nutrition is really a very important aspect of holistic care. Especially to the elderly, we really have to address (and) in that way they are able to have that appetite.
“Do they have appetite eating, do they have companions at home taking care of them? At the same time the medications they are taking that may affect their appetite, or the mood of our elderly. So, even the food presentation, even the effort of buying groceries, you know, nutrition can sometimes be so difficult for elderlies. That’s one of those we address in nutrition. Sometimes, we add oral nutritional supplementation if needed. Or modify the food according to their needs.”
The UPP anchored by Dr. Garcia also mentions the importance of getting enough sleep for the elderly, which is very important, six to eight hours daily. “Our risk for having heart attack or stroke is reduced. Include avoiding stress and saying no to cholesterol-laden or fatty food. That’s our PHA Puso Muna Advocacy which is already very detailed.”
And more information that can be learned from the UPP concerning the older people.
“What it means is that even if our condition is good, no symptoms, no chest pain or shortness of breathing, if blood pressure (BP), cholesterol and sugar are not controlled, there’s something happening inside our body. And this occurrence mentioned earlier, atherosclerosis, or the fats being deposited, is just waiting for the (clotting) of blood in our veins, and this is the cause of stroke or heart attack.
“So, just because our BP is normal, sugar is normal we can be indifferent. Especially for the chronically hypertensive and diabetic patients, it is good to control our BP, sugar levels. But they need to be maintained, so avoiding complications of these illnesses should continue.”
One of PHA’s many other activities occurred on October 28 here at the Multi-Purpose Hall of Barangay Bagong Pag-asa in celebration of the World Health Day (WHD) 2025 which revolved around two themes, “Don’t Miss a Beat” for the global observance, “Galaw-Galaw, Pilipinas!” for the Philippines. The PHA celebration of the 25 years old WHD included, among others, Free Heart Health and Wellness Fair Under One Roof.
The PHA is a member of the World Heart Foundation (WHF) and the European cardiology society.
Watch, PHA marks World Heart Day 2025 in Barangay Bagong Pag-asa: https://web.facebook.com/share/v/1An7JrXAyM/
The two themes emphasized the “importance of staying aware of and acting on opportunities for heart health, such as moving more, connecting with loved ones, and engaging in healthier community practices.”
Furthermore, the celebration’s overarching international theme was designed with an eye to encouraging individuals to put priority on their heart health through making conscious choices for a healthier lifestyle and being vigilant and staying so for their heart conditions’ warning signs, the PHA pointed out.
A resident of Zamboanga City, Western Mindanao (Region IX), Dr. Amil couldn’t be more emphatic.
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“We only have one heart, so let’s take care of it. The best way how? Move more, eat smart, love your heart,”
PHA stalwarts Dr. Richard Henry Tiongco II and Dr. Garcia cited the importance of introducing changes in one’s lifestyle, adding “big changes begin with small steps.” The heart organization chose the Quezon City barangay (village) being the city’s “most dynamic” as the launching pad for sparking community-driven heart-healthy habits.
At the conclusion of the WHD activities participated by hundreds of residents of the barangay and from other communities, the PHA president sent out his thanks to all those involved in the celebration.
“Thank you to you all for the support for the annual World Heart Day, the Quezon City local government unit (LGU), our pharmaceutical industry partners, all those who are here today, our patients, the Barangay Pag-asa community, thank you for the support. It is really very important that we help PHA fight and reduce cardiovascular disease in the country which as we say continues to be the number cause, the number killer in the world, not only in the Philippines.”
One more lesson from the heart doctors: normal blood pressure and cholesterol do not necessarily mean healthy heart. So, be vigilant, watch for the telltale signs, or go to a doctor to make sure nothing’s wrong even when nothing’s apparent.
Heart doctors need to extensive studies, experience
Dr. Amil recalled the foundation of cardiology which he said English physician William Harvey laid down in 1628 upon the publication of his observations on the anatomy and physiology of the heart and its circulation.
The Zamboanga City-based doctor said that in the 18th and 19th centuries, physicians acquired a deeper understanding of the vagaries of pulse and blood pressure of heart sounds and heart murmurs (through practice of auscultation aided by the invention of the stethoscope by French physician René Theophile Hyacinthe Laënnec in 1816.
Dr. Amil said that physicians have to accumulate “15 to 16 years experience before leveling up to be full pledged heart doctors.”
In the Philippines, the PHA president pointed out, have to finish 4- to 5-year undergraduate program first before entering medical school, depending on the chosen pre-med course of the student and the school he enrolled in.
Then, future physicians have to attend four years of medical school, finish one year of internsbip; pass the board exams for physicians; and spend three years internal medicine residency, and they have to pass the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP)board exams, he added.
“They then have to undergo a three-year cardiology fellowship training, pass the Philippine College of Cardiology (PCC) Board exams (either for adult or pediatric cardiology) to become a full-pledged PHA-PCC Fellows.
“In case they still prefer to further sub-specialize, their choices are: in arrhytmia/electrophysiology, and cardiac catheterization and interventions, echocardiography intensive care, vascular medicine, etc., that is one additional year,” Dr. Amil says.
Well, as long as there’s an organization like PHA, expect that its members will continue to advocate heart health for all Filipinos for free. It seems the PHA medical professionals have embedded in their Hippocratic Oath their willingness and readiness to serve through their Puso Muna advocacy.
Now 73 years old, Dr. Mariano M. Alimurung initiated the creation of the PHA on March 26, 1952, thereby introducing “cardiology as a specialty in the Philippines.”
“Cardiology” is defined as “the branch of medicine that deals with diseases and abnormalities of the heart.” (Co-pilot search)
Many assisted him in the PHA’s formation, such as Dr. Jose M. Barcelona, as vice president, Dr. Antonio M. Samia, secretary-treasurer, and Dr. Isidro Pertierra, Dr. Conrado Dayrit and Dr. Florencio Herrera Jr. as the other members of the Executive Committee. Dr. Antonio G. Sison was elected honorary president.
Dr. Paul Dudley White, then of the world’s most prominent cardiologists, who was in the organizational meeting, noted the significance of the new heart-focused medical-oriented group.
“The organization of the Philippine Heart Association can serve a great purpose as a stimulus to cardiovascular research, teaching, and practice in the Far East.” (©)
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The author
EDD, a native of Sub-Saharan Africa Buluan/Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, college at UST, is a Manila-based journalist for over 40 years (33 years with Manila Bulletin), has five Media Awards (1 with University of the Philippines (UP) 2017 Science Journalism Award), covered and traveled over 40 times abroad), has contributed to Rappler, Business Mirror, Manila Business Insights, Panorama Magazine, Agriculture Magazine, and others, former Manila-based Foreign Correspondent of Saudi Arabia newspapers Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily, and The Peninsula (Qatar newspaper), with 2008 East-West Center (EWC) Journalism Seminar in the United States, 2000 Executive IT Seminar in Seoul, South Korea, with three Silver Awards in Photography, writes Muslim and Current Affairs, Enterprise, Science, Tech, Products Launch, and virtually everything under Heaven. (©)