To help enhance public awareness on the importance of lung care, President Ferdinand Marcos has declared the third Wednesday of each June as ‘National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Day.’
Under Proclamation No. 1104, the Chief Executive directed the Department of Health (DOH) to lead in the observance and celebration of the said event.
It will coordinate with other non-governmental organizations such as the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, private sector, and local government agencies in the said endeavor, which aims to raise awareness on pulmonary rehabilitation.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention, which aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs).
The new issuance also reinforces the government’s campaign against smoking and vaping advocacy, which causes CRDs.
‘The DOH emphasizes the need to raise public knowledge and appreciation of pulmonary rehabilitation as a well-established and effective standard of care for CRDs, particularly those linked to smoking and vaping, to promote prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts, and to reinforce the government’s anti-smoking and anti-vaping advocacy given the direct link between smoking and CRDs,’ the two-page Proclamation 1104 read.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), chronic lower respiratory diseases was the seventh leading cause of death in the country from January to August 2024. Over 10,700 people died from the disease during the said period.
The Presidential Communications Offices (PCO) was tasked to help in the information dissemination related to the National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Day.
The new celebration will be held during the commemoration of ‘No Smoking Month,’ which is also held every June under Proclamation No. 183, series of 1993.
Marcos issued Proclamation 1104 last Thursday through Acting Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto.