WORLD RESTART A HEART DAY: PHA Joins National Effort for a CPR-Ready & 911-Ready Philippines

CPR-, AED-, EMS-, 911-ReadyPH champions, and from left: PHA President Dr. Walid Amil, PCEM President Dr. Dave Dato; PHA Council on CPR Chair Dr. Don Robespierre Reyes; DOH-Health Emergency Management Bureau  Director Dr. Bernadett Velasco; DILG Director Francis Fajardo; PHA Director/Advocacy Chair Dr. Iris Garcia and PHA Vice President Dr. Aurora Gamponia

“A CPR-Ready Philippines cannot be built alone. It takes a nation — every doctor, teacher, responder, and citizen — to keep the next heartbeat alive.” --PHA President Dr. Walid Amil  

The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) spearheaded the call for the collective mission to build a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)-Ready and 911-Ready Philippines, marking World Restart a Heart Day through the Usapang Puso sa Puso (UPP) Media Conference held on November 4 in Quezon City.

Gathering key agencies including the Department of Health (DOH), Emergency 911 National Office, Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM), and the Philippine Red Cross, the press conference became a platform to reaffirm a shared goal — strengthening the country’s emergency response system through education, preparedness, and collaboration. 

The PHA-Philippine College of Cardiology, composed of 2,500 cardiovascular specialists, fulfills its mandate as both a scientific body and advocacy institution. Its clinicians and academicians continually raise the standards of cardiology training across 27 institutions and 15 PHA chapters nationwide, bridging clinical expertise with community service. 

Dr. Don Robespierre Reyes and Dr. Walid Amil in a huddle immediately after the media com

PHA President Dr. Walid Amil said the organization’s involvement in the initiative reflects its long-standing commitment to heart health advocacy. Since 2020, the PHA has trained over 111,000 Filipinos in Basic and Advanced Life Support through 28 accredited training centers, reaching schools, hospitals, workplaces, and barangays across the country. 

CPR-ReadyPH is a flagship program launched in 2015

CPR-ReadyPH: A continuing journey of collaboration 

At the heart of PHA’s advocacy is CPR-ReadyPH, a flagship program launched in 2015 with the goal of bringing CPR to every Filipino home and putting the Philippines on the global CPR-Ready map. Through its Council on CPR, the PHA has forged partnerships with government, private organizations, and humanitarian groups to deliver standardized, community-based CPR and Automated External Defibrillators (AED) training. 

PHA Council on CPR Chair Dr. Don Robespierre Reyes (left):”CPR-ReadyPH thrives on collaboration.”

Council Chair Dr. Don Robespierre Reyes noted that CPR-ReadyPH has shaped both local and national policies. Its early success inspired Republic Act 10871, or the CPR Act of 2016 (Samboy Lim Law), which mandates hands-only CPR education in schools. Since then, the PHA has remained a fixture in the Senate and Congress, advocating for the AED Bill to ensure defibrillators are installed in public places. 

 “CPR-ReadyPH thrives on partnership,” Dr. Reyes said. “Our role is to strengthen what already exists — to make sure that the skills, the systems, and the people all connect in one life-saving network.” 

Joining forces through Unified 911 

 It's high time to align CPR-ReadyPH with the Unified 911 system

During the UPP presser, the PHA reaffirmed its collaboration with the DOH, DILG, Emergency 911 National Office, PCEM, and Red Cross in building an integrated emergency response ecosystem. The initiative aims to align CPR-ReadyPH with the Unified 911 system so that bystanders, trained responders, and call centers can act in sync during cardiac emergencies -- making every Filipino equipped and empowered to respond to cardiac emergencies. 

Opening the program, Dr. Aurora Muriel S. Gamponia delivered the welcome remarks, underscoring the significance of unity and shared purpose in emergency response. 

In his presentation titled “Philippine Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Status and PCEM Collaboration Initiatives,” Dr. Dave G. Dato, President of the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine (PCEM), emphasized the vital role of coordination among medical institutions and emergency responders. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Don Robespierre C. Reyes, Chair of the PHA Council on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, discussed “Gearing Towards a CPR-Ready Philippines,” underscoring the importance of making CPR a fundamental life skill for all Filipinos. 

DOH-Health Emergency Management Bureau  Director Dr. Bernadett Velasco

DOH Secretary Teodoro “Ted” J. Herbosa, through Dr. Bernadett Velasco, reaffirmed the DOH’s full support for Unified 911 and its collaboration with the PHA and PCEM. 

Emergency 911 National Office Executive Director Francis Fajardo also highlighted how continued inter-agency collaboration strengthens public trust. Every call answered proves that unity between government and private health partners truly saves lives,” he said. 

PHA PUSO MUNA tagline explained in this tarpaulin display during the media con

A shared fight against the world’s top killer 

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death globally, claiming 17.9 million lives each year according to the World Health Organization. In the Philippines, ischemic heart disease caused 76,901 deaths or 19.1 percent of total fatalities from January to August 2023, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data. Local studies also reveal that hypertension (38.6 percent) and stroke (30 percent) are the most common CVDs, compounded by dyslipidemia, smoking, and obesity. 

For the PHA and its partners, these figures highlight not just a medical crisis but a national responsibility. Through continuing education, community training, and policy engagement, the Association reinforces its commitment to save lives — one trained hand, one heartbeat at a time. 

PHA Director/Advocacy Chair Dr. Iris Garcia hosted the program 

PHA Advocacy Committee Chair Dr. Iris Garcia emphasized that real change begins when knowledge reaches the grassroots. “Our next challenge is not awareness — it’s implementation. We have the CPR Law. We have the knowledge. Now we need action — so that K-12 students get formal hands-only CPR training and these students can pass on,” Garcia said. The collaboration also underscores PHA’s broader mission to contribute to national heart health, extending its advocacy from schools and hospitals to public safety systems. 

As Dr. Amil shared in closing, “A CPR-Ready Philippines cannot be built alone. It takes a nation — every doctor, teacher, responder, and citizen — to keep the next heartbeat alive.”

This writer with PHA President Dr. Walid Amil