THE COUNTRY is confronting a critical cardiologist shortage, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) reported, noting the need for “One Cardiologist for Every City.”
PHA, during the induction of the PHA Davao-Southern Mindanao officers and the launch of its flagship advocacy programs on February 27, emphasized the need to produce more cardiologists to combat cardiovascular disease, the nation’s top cause of death.
PHA said as of February 2026, only 2,550 cardiologists are serving the 112 million Filipinos- a ratio of one specialist for every 44,000 people.
“More than half are concentrated in Metro Manila, leaving provincial communities navigating long travel hours, delayed diagnoses, and limited access to specialized care,” PHA stressed.
“One Cardiologist for Every City” is one of the PHA’s flagship advocacies to enhance access to heart care for those who lack it by strengthening the regional chapters and creating new chapters and sub-chapters across the country.
“Each new or strengthened chapter represents a big stride toward communities that can detect, manage, and respond to CVDs within their own regions, reducing dependence on distant metropolitan centers and bringing quality heart care closer to every Filipino,” PHA president Walid Amil said.
“For millions of Filipinos outside urban centers, that means traveling hours, even days, just to see a cardiologist一a gap that can mean the difference between life and death,” he added.
The chapters aim to encourage newly-minted cardiologists to serve or go back to their hometowns, and the internal medicine fellows to pursue cardiology.
PHA noted that the cardiology shortage is very evident in Mindanao, Davao Region, with 5.38 million residents, has only 98 cardiologists- a ratio of 1:55,000. A total of 68 are concentrated in Davao City.
PHA Davao president Erwin Ybañez said in an interview that to materialize the advocacy, the PHA will take advantage of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Heart Institute in the city, which serves as the region’s primary referral hub and designated Regional Heart Center.
SPMC is an ISO-certified Level 3 government tertiary hospital and PHA-accredited training institution, which provides specialized services including coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), cardiac valve surgery, congenital heart defect repairs, and cardiac catheterization.
“When every city has a competent cardiologist, early diagnosis becomes routine, complications are prevented, referral systems become stronger, and emergency care becomes more coordinated, which allows communities gain confidence in their local health care system,” Ybañez said.
As of this writing, the PHA has 17 regional chapters and one sub-chapter, including the newly formed chapters: Bohol, Capiz-Aklan, Negros Oriental-Dumaguete chapters, and Basilan sub-chapter. In the pipeline are PHA Tawi-Tawi and Sulu subchapters, which are under the PHA ZamBaSulTa Chapter.
