The Philippine Heart Association (PHA), during the induction of its Central Luzon Chapter at Park Inn by Radisson Clark last July 8, reinforced its call for lawmakers to pass the AED Bill, which includes the deployment of the life-saving automated external defibrillator (AED) in strategic places in the community.

PHA National President Dr. Ronald Cuyco stated, “We are calling on the lawmakers to pass the AED Bill as we are keen on giving the CPR-ReadyPh 2023 a major push.” said PHA National President Dr. Ronald Cuyco.

Cuyco added that PHA National, with its 18 chapters all over country, is gearing up for the Nationwide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR Awareness Campaign this year, with the theme “ZapPInas AED sa Pamayanan, Dugtong Buhay yan!” CPR Awareness Campaign

Echoing Dr. Cuyco’s call, PHA Central Luzon Chapter president Dr. Rayzen Canono-Lim said, “PHA is urging all local government units (LGUs) to put the procurement of public AEDs on their list of top priorities. As PHA members based in Central Luzon, we are offering our expertise.”

CPR-ReadyPh
Launched in 2015, the CPR-ReadyPh Campaign is an initiative of the PHA. Among its milestones are the yearly Nationwide Mass CPR Trainings conducted every July 17 in observance of the CPR Law or RA 10871 (an act that mandates compulsory basic life support training in public and private schools) which lapsed into law on July 17, 2016.

In the same year, PHA went to Congress to push for the AED Law.

Between 2016 and 2022 lawmakers in the Senate and Congress have filed similar versions of the AED Bill.

In 2022, Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 2474 (which aims to mandate the placement of Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs in public spaces) like government buildings, offices, courts, schools, public parks and markets. This measure seeks to help in the survival of patients with heart diseases.

An AED is an easy-to-use, medical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if needed, delivers an electrical shock or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the sudden loss of all heart activity due to an irregular heart rhythm. Breathing stops. The person becomes unconscious. Without immediate treatment SCA can lead to death.

Emergency treatment includes CPR and shocks to the heart with an AED device. Survival is possible with fast within 4 to 6 minutes, with appropriate CPR and/or use of an AED and medical care.

In agreement with each other, Dr. Cuyco and Dr. Canono-Lim emphasized that administering AED on a cardiac arrest patient increases survival by 30 percent.

PHA Flagship Projects
At a press briefing held during the Induction rites, Dr. Cuyco also revealed to the Pampanga media the Flagship Projects of the PHA.

𝗖𝗣𝗥-𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬.𝗣𝗛 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻

• Revival of the CPR on Wheels & Wings (CWW), a tie-up with the Department of Tourism and other tourism/travel stakeholders,
• The PHA-led CWW has spanned 23 tourist destinations from 2016 to 2019.
• Goal: to make every tourist haven (facility and community) CPR-equipped.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛/𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀/𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀

• First PHA Research Foundation
• More research guidelines

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝘂𝘇𝗼𝗻

• More heart centers outside Luzon have the backing of the incumbent PHA president
• Thailand has 10 heart centers, while the Philippines has only one, the Philippine Heart Center.

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

• Recognizing the plight of Filipinos who wrestle with the pain and cost of cardiovascular disease treatment and intervention, the PHA and its allies have been clamoring for wider PhilHealth benefits for this particular population.
• Greater Z-Benefits coverage
• Comprehensive package for STEMI patients, RF-RHD patients; full cardiac rehab coverage.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗛𝗔-𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

• The monthly Usapang Puso sa Puso webinar, a strategic and neutral zone to present, dissect and meet matters of the heart head-on, with cardiologists as moderators; their colleagues from diverse disciplines, allies from other milieus, especially government, showbiz and sports as great influencers as news sources; and news people and netizens as reactors, promises to be more stimulating and engaging.
• To involve 23 PHA Chapters, Manila and local media in Manila-based UPP
• Monthly face-to-face Media Conference
• PHA National President to meet local media in the 18 Chapters (with PHA Cebu as starting point)