“Napakaimportante po ang self-love—ang alagaan natin ang sarili muna natin, ang ating kalusugan para maalagaan natin ang bayan. A successful and well-developed Philippines starts with a healthy nation. Dapat ang bawat Pilipino mismo ay malusog. Ang bawat Pilipino mismo, kayang alagaan ang sarili. Hindi pabigat sa iba, hindi rin tayo pabigat sa sarili. The best person to look after you is you.”
This was underscored by Dr. Liza P. Palencia, nephrologist based in Daet, Camarines Norte and member of the Philippine Society of Nephrology-Bicol Chapter during the Seminar on Healthy Workplace conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office Bicol on September 30, 2024. About 80 DA Bicol employees attended the seminar which capped the agency’s 124th Civil Service Month celebration.
According to DA Bicol Administrative and Finance Division OIC-Chief Imelda Acompañado, the Seminar on Healthy Workplace is also designed to support the implementation of the Department of Health Bicol Center for Health Development’s (DOH-CHD) Healthy Workplace Program and as part of the service continuity plan of the office to ensure healthy workforce and safe workplace. The program was launched in collaboration with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Regional Office V and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on August 16, 2024 in Legazpi City.
The activity commenced with a Zumba followed by Palencia’s discussion on Prevention and Management of Kidney Diseases. She highlighted the impact of kidney failure on patients’ physical, mental, and social well-being. Palencia also stressed the importance of kidney health awareness, early identification, screening and diagnosis, as well as kidney health partnership, kidney supportive care, and regular checkups. She shared the Eight Golden Rules to Prevent and Manage Kidney Diseases. These include doing regular exercise, drinking adequate water, quitting smoking, avoiding pain reliever abuse, and having regular checkups. She also announced that Bicol Medical Center (BMC) has a Charity Clinic for patients with renal diseases every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.
Meanwhile, Dr. Monrey Isaiah Mancilla, Medical Officer IV of DOH-CHD, lectured on Healthy Workplaces. He cited the Department of Health’s 8-Point Action Agenda to achieve its vision for the Health Sector: Filipinos to be among the healthiest people in Asia by 2040 through better health outcomes, stronger health systems, and access to all levels of care.
“Para masabi natin na tayo ay malusog, dapat po meron tayong kumpletong physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely ‘yung absence lang po ng disease or infirmity,” Mancilla said.
He emphasized the relationship of health and work. He mentioned that working for 40 hours a week is equivalent to spending one-fourth of one’s life in the workplace weekly. Thus, if a worker lacks awareness and has unhealthy behavior, socio-economic, and biophysical activities, being in an unhealthy workplace puts him more at risk to disease, disability, and death. On the contrary, a worker with healthy behavior as well as socio-economic and biophysical activities in a healthy workplace will likely enjoy health and wellness. He also enumerated the DOH’s seven priority areas under its Universal Health Care (UHC) program namely diet and exercise, environmental health, vaccines and immunization, substance use, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and violence and injury prevention.
In her message, DA Bicol OIC-Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Dr. Mary Grace Rodriguez commended the initiative saying “With the busy schedule, we sometimes disregard health topics and health issues… This is very timely and very relevant. We really need this in our workplace. Lagi kaming output-oriented, may mga targets, may timelines. Totoo po talaga na ‘Health is wealth.’ Maraming salamat po kasi this is one way of saving our lives.”
DA Bicol OIC RTD for Research and Regulations Lorenzo Alvina encouraged all the participants to observe a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get adequate sleep, and reduce stress.
“I hope huwag nating pakinggan lang ‘yung lecture but we need to really change the way we live,” he said. He also urged the Management and the DA Employees Association (DAEA) to develop a sustainable program that will promote a healthy lifestyle among employees.
The Philippine Statistics Authority Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment in 2017 shows that back pain, essential hypertension, and neck-shoulder pain are the top three occupational diseases in the country. According to reports from the DOH’s Field Health Services Information System in January 2022, the top causes of mortality in the Philippines are ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and COVID-19. Acute respiratory infections, hypertension, and animal bites rank among the leading causes of morbidity.
The DOH, DOLE, and CSC issued Joint Administrative Order 2023-0001 or the National Policy on the Promotion of Healthy Workplace on April 5, 2023. It defines a healthy workplace as one in which the workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote worker health, safety, and well-being, and workplace sustainability. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V)