The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) Southern Tagalog Chapter (STC) formally inducted its new set of officers 2025-2027 and new members in a ceremonial event that underscored the chapter’s renewed commitment to advancing cardiovascular health training and care, cardiac emergency preparedness, and awareness among the public across the region.
The ceremony highlighted the STC’s priority projects for 2025–2027, led by the region-wide free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training advocacy in barangays, towns, and cities toward a CPR-Ready CALABARZON-MIMAROPA (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon; Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan).
This initiative aligns with the national PHA-led CPR-Ready PH campaign, which seeks to bring CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in every Filipino home and city to put the Philippines on the CPR-Ready country map; and revive the CPR on Wheels & Wings (CWW), a joint advocacy partnership between the PHA and the Department of Tourism from 2016 to 2020. The CWW caravan conducted free hands-only CPR in top 25 tourist destinations, teaching and empowering tourism/travel and hotel-resort industry workers with life-saving skills. CWW was abruptly bumped off by COVID-19 in March 2020, with Pilar, Bataan as the last hop.
In his inspirational message, PHA National President Dr. Walid Amil commended the incoming STC officers led by its president, Dr. Ray Albert Cabigan, for taking on the challenge to lead “the distinguished chapter” as well as its outgoing president, Dr. Marlon Patricio for his dedicated service.
STC, 1 of 15 PHA chapters boasts of 249 members
“Southern Tagalog chapter, you are the biggest in terms of membership. You have 249 members as of our last count, in seven provinces including MIMAROPA and PALAWAN. And you’ve been consistent winners of our social media campaigns in the World Heart Day 2025 and Philippine Heart Month 2025 celebrations,” Walid said.
He excitedly reported that aside from STC, more provincial chapters are coming up — in line with his vision to bring the PHA even closer to the grassroots: by creating new chapters from those that have grown large — a flagship project of his presidency.
By creating new chapters, Amil believes the better the PHA can reach its members and the communities that they serve. Smaller chapters means more focused chapters which make sure that every cardiologist, and every Filipino heart, feels the presence of the PHA close to home. These are very good reasons that will inspire and convince newly-minted cardiologists to practice in the province.
Amil stressed anew that the PHA’s dream is “’One Cardiologist for Every City’, every city in the Philippines from the rolling hills of Batanes, to the beaches of Tawi-Tawo, will have a cardiologist who calls a city their own.
“Before my term, PHA had 13 chapters. Now, we have two new chapters — Bohol and Aklan-Capiz. We inducted Bohol last September 21 and on November 30, Aklan-Capiz chapter is separating from West Visayas-Iloilo chapter. By January 2026, hopefully Dumaguete will have its own chapter, too. So we’re now 15, hopefully, we’ll have 20 chapters before my term ends,” he narrated.
In 2013, the PHA Council on CPR collaborated with the barangay first responders. Should someone suffer from cardiac arrest at home or in the barangay, there’s a bigger chance for that person to survive because of CPR. Tourists prefer places that promise a holiday to the tilt, destinations that offer a unique experience and security. Medical- and disaster-readiness is part of the deal.
STC supports DOT’s First-aid Kiosks
Beyond the region-wide medical initiatives, the PHA Southern Tagalog Chapter also expressed support for the DOT’s First-aid Kiosk Program in key destinations. The first batch of areas identified by the DOT were Boracay, La Union, Panglao, Bohol; Palawan and Puerto Galera. There are PHA chapters in all these places.
DOT First-Aid Kiosks provide immediate medical assistance and emergency response to travelers and tourists.
Manned by medical professionals, these kiosks, on top of basic first-aid tools, are equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and an efficient communication system. An AED is a portable medical device that can diagnose and treat sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electrical shock to the heart.
This is a goal that resonates with the PHA Advocacy dream vision: A CPR- and AED-ready nation just like its neighboring developed nations.
PHA STC takes pride in the fact that CALABARZON-MIMAROPA teems with God-given and man-made attractions that play hosts to visitors at any given day, to name some — Taal Volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Villa Escudero, Pinto Art Museum, Masungi Georeserve, Enchanted Kingdom, Caleruega Church, and Regina Rica; the paradise-like resorts in Palawan and Puerto Galera.
Integrating health and tourism ensures both residents and visitors are protected in times of emergency. One way is by propagating hands-only CPR and resurrecting CWW. Another edge of CALABARZON it has tertiary hospitals – the Perpetual Help Medical Center-Binan, De La Salle University Medical Center, Dasmarinas, Cavite and Mary Mediatrix Medical Center, Lipa City, Batangas, which are PHA-accredited Cardiology Training Institutions.
The “Sharing Cardiology” culture of the PHA is very much alive in the region. PHA STC will continue the “Guru2.0” program which educates physicians from other specialties and family medicine doctors how to assess cardiovascular disease.
The chapter will also partner with influencers and organizations to combat misinformation on cardiovascular health; and constantly promote the PHA healthy lifestyle mantra: the PHA PUSO MUNA (Pagkain na masustansya; Huwag manigarilyo; Aktibong pamumuhay; Presyon ay kontrolin; Uminom ng maintenance; Sugar ay kontrolin; Obesity ay iwasan; Matulog nang kumpleto; Umiwas sa stress; No to alcohol; Ayawan ang cholesterol), because saving lives is not only a medical mission but a shared national responsibility.
Induction of PHA STC officers
In his inaugural speech, Cabigan reminisced the trials he encountered before becoming a full pledged cardiologist — giving up not once but several times due to lack of funds to sustain his studies — but thankfully, always blessed with elder mentors who were generous in every sense of the word.
“Thank you for putting your trust and confidence in me and my fellow officers. I am honored to continue the hard work and dedication of our past leaders and officers who have shaped PHA STC to what it is today” he started.
Outgoing PHA STC president Dr. Marlon Patricio reported that under his watch, the chapter trained more than 900 BLS ACLS enrollees.
“As we move forward, we aim to continue to increase these numbers through collaboration with local/municipal health offices, hospitals, training institutes and NGOs with the goal of making every barangay CPR-ready,” Cabigan emphasized.
Likewise, he also stressed the chapter’s direction toward stronger community engagement and public health advocacy by promoting the PHA PUSO MUNA Advocacy12, establishing strategic partnerships with LGUs and NGOs, and fostering joint educational learning of Cardiology fellows thru workshops, case sharing and research.
The ceremony also included the induction of incoming officers and board of directors, as well as the induction of new members, symbolizing the chapter’s growing network of cardiovascular health professionals in Southern Tagalog.
