ISCHEMIC heart disease, tumor growth and cerebrovascular diseases including stroke remained the leading causes of death in the Philippines last year, according to the local statistics agency.
It said 118,936 died due to ischemic heart disease — heart weakening caused by reduced blood flow to the heart — equivalent to 18.9% of the 628,554 total deaths in 2023.
Neoplasms or tumors were the second-highest cause of death at 67,386 or 10.7% of the total, followed by cerebrovascular diseases at 63,401 or 10.1%.
Completing the top five causes of deaths were diabetes mellitus at 39,783 or 6.3% and pneumonia at 38,637 or 6.1%.
In a separate report, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the country’s birth, death, and marriage rates declined by 10%, 7.5%, and 17.1%, respectively, last year from 2022.
Philippine births in 2023 fell to 1.3 million from 1.46 million, while deaths went down to 628,554 from 679,766. Marriages fell to 372,485 from 449,428.
Data showed that by region, Calabarzon accounted for the most births at 212,857 or 16.2% of the total. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 162,997 births for a 12.4% share and Central Luzon with 158,368 births or 12.1%.
Calabarzon also had the most deaths at 101,333 or 16.1% of the total, followed by Central Luzon with 81,320 or 12.9% and Western Visayas with 49,379 or 7.9%.
Calabarzon also had the most marriages at 58,983 or 15.8% of the total, followed by NCR with 51,054 or 13.7% and Central Luzon with 44,381 or 11.9%.
Meanwhile, the Health department flagged an increase in dengue cases in the country to 77,867 as of June 15, with 205 deaths.
Cases this year were 15% higher than a year earlier, it said in a statement.
Dengue cases climbed by about 10% to 6,082 from May 19 to June 1 from two weeks earlier, it added.
The Department of Health (DoH) noted that while there were only 4,689 cases from June 2 to 15, the number might still increase due to late reporting.
It said only five regions did not experience an increase from May 5 to June 1 — Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Caraga.
“The DoH continues to monitor and assess the situation to implement necessary measures and interventions,” the agency said.
It cited “notable initiatives” in other countries like Singapore’s Project Wolbachia, which uses bacteria in mosquitoes to disrupt the dengue transmission process.
“However, the World Health Organization (WHO) Vector Advisory Group as referred to by Singapore’s National Environment Agency recommends that pilot tests for this technology should involve rigorous and independent monitoring and evaluation,” the DoH said.
“One solution to dengue, while basic in principle, needs collective and sustained action,” it said. “The rise in cases this year is still early and much can still be done.”
Dengue cases in Singapore hit over 5,000 in the first quarter from 2,360 cases a year earlier, with seven deaths, its environment agency said in March.
The DoH said strategies against dengue include destroying mosquito breeding grounds by eliminating stagnant water and their containers.
It called for fogging or spraying in local hotspots or outbreak areas. — Abigail Marie P. Yraola and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
