More than 2,000 participants joined the 14th Walk for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Awareness organized by Mercury Drug Foundation, Inc. on May 17 at The District North Point in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. The annual activity aims to promote healthier lifestyles and strengthen public awareness on non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses.
First Time in Negros Occidental
The event marked the first time the nationwide advocacy walk was held in Bacolod and Negros Occidental since the program started in 2012. Thousands joined the walk, which included participants lining up for freebies from partners of Mercury Drug Foundation.
Bantay Kalusugan Program
MDFI Executive Director Annie Fuentes said the initiative forms part of the foundation’s Bantay Kalusugan Program, which focuses on health education, disease prevention, and wellness promotion in communities across the country. “This is our public awareness project under our Bantay Kalusugan Program to make people aware of non-communicable diseases,” Fuentes said, noting that NCDs remain among the leading causes of death worldwide. She added that the advocacy encourages Filipinos to adopt healthier lifestyles through daily exercise, regular health screenings, enough hydration and sleep, and proper disease management.
Event Highlights
Aside from the three-kilometer walk, participants also took part in Zumba sessions, fitness activities, games, raffle draws, and wellness booth activities. Freebies and wellness items were distributed during the event, to the delight of the participants. Officials and employees of Mercury Drug Corporation, members of the MDFI Board of Trustees, and healthcare partners participated in the activity.
“We are happy that people here in Negros Occidental are engaging and becoming more aware of NCDs. By joining this walk, they are supporting our advocacy,” Fuentes added. Mercury Drug and Mercury Drug Foundation executives joined the walk, along with partners from Unilab and RiteMED.
