DOH inks agreement with Pilipinas Go4Health partners

(Manila, Philippines, November 20, 2013) — To achieve its goal of making Filipinos healthier, the national healthy lifestyle movement Pilipinas Go4Health today formalized its partnerships with a variety of institutions during a ceremonial memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing at the Department of Health Compound in Manila.

The MOU signing ceremony was attended by GT Metro Foundation, UCPB Gen, Philips Electronics, PhilRice, Global Academy, Bikram Yoga Alabang, Asian Medical Students Association, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Asian Hospital and Medical Center. DOH officials and representatives from the National Center for Health Promotion (NCHP) led the ceremony, where the efforts of the Pilipinas Go4Health partners were recognized.

“This is another exciting milestone for us because we know that we are all in this fight against non-communicable disease (NCDs) together,” said Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

“From the moment we learned about the rise of non-communicable diseases or NCDs, it became our mission to avert its long-term impact on the lives of Filipinos, knowing that the new lifestyle is mostly sedentary. Data also indicate that we have a diet that is high in cholesterol and fat, and that we need to more about smoking and heavy drinking,” Secretary Ona stressed.

Pilipinas Go4Health is a healthy lifestyle movement that aims to encourage Filipinos to commit to living healthy with a proper diet (Go Sustansya), doing regular physical activities (Go Sigla), avoiding or moderating alcohol consumption (Go Slow sa Tagay), and avoiding tobacco use (Go Smoke-free). Launched in June 2013, Pilipinas Go4Health is gaining a strong following among the public and private sectors, academe, local governments, and in online and social media.

According to Secretary Ona, this milestone signals the start of bigger, more sustained actions toward a healthier Philippines. He added, “With the help of our leaders, our employers, our schools, our families, and our champions, we will inspire every Filipino, from the young to the old, to embrace a healthy future. Because we owe it to ourselves to fight for that future.”

“We salute the work of our partners, who are making great strides against NCDs. If you and your organization share the same passion for building a stronger and healthier Philippines, be part of Pilipinas Go4Health by registering on the website, www.go4health.ph. We are urging everyone to share their time, ideas, and resources so we can succeed in making health a reality for every Filipino,” Secretary Ona said.

About the Department of Health
The Department of Health (DOH) is the country’s overall technical authority on health—both national health policymaker and regulatory institution. DOH plays three major roles in the health sector, namely: leader in health, enabler and capacity builder, and specific services administrator.

As the governing body for health and wellness, it is mandated to develop national plans, technical standards, and health guidelines, as well as to provide special tertiary health care services and technical assistance to health providers and stakeholders. For more information about DOH, please visit www.doh.gov.ph.

About Pilipinas Go4Health
Pilipinas Go4Health is the nationwide healthy lifestyle movement spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH) and its partners. It aims to inform and encourage Filipinos from all walks of life to practice a healthy lifestyle by making a personal commitment to physical activity, proper nutrition, and the prevention or cessation of smoking and alcohol consumption. Through the movement, DOH and its partners work together to promote and establish a sustainable environment for healthy living. Visit www.go4health.ph for more information.