Ischaemic heart diseases, cancer, and strokes are still the deadliest threats in the Philippines. From January to June 2025, 53,985 deaths—nearly one in five—were due to heart disease alone, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Cancer (neoplasms) followed with 30,961 deaths, or 11.4 percent of total fatalities, while cerebrovascular diseases, including strokes, accounted for 27,164 deaths—10 percent of the total. Pneumonia (18,365 deaths, 6.8 percent) and diabetes (16,632 deaths, 6.1 percent) round out the top five.
The data covers residents and foreign nationals within the Philippines. It excludes deaths of Filipinos abroad but includes Filipinos whose usual residence is abroad. Figures are provisional, with the final report expected in January 2027.
For businesses and policymakers, the numbers are a wake-up call. Chronic and lifestyle-related diseases continue to weigh on productivity, workforce health, and healthcare costs.
Opportunities abound for hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceutical firms to expand preventive care, treatment options, and wellness programs.
The message is clear: investing in health infrastructure and lifestyle-focused solutions is no longer optional—it is a business imperative.
