The Philippines may be sitting on a goldmine of working-age citizens — but a growing weight problem threatens to sink it.
“What’s the use of having a very young population … if they are being impaired by obesity?” says John Paul Cesar de los Trinos of MetaHealth Insights and co-leader of the EPICOP PH study, which is investigating just how much obesity is costing Filipinos — in pesos and productivity.
And it starts shockingly early: Over 14 percent of children aged five to 10 are already overweight or obese.
Families pay the price
“More than 44.4 percent of health expenses in the Philippines are still paid out-of-pocket,” De los Trinos said, echoing official PSA data.
That means treatments for obesity-related diseases — like diabetes, kidney issues and hypertension — can drain family budgets. Medications can run from P1,000 to P3,000 per month, while hospitalizations can cost up to P15,000 or more. And that’s not even counting special clothing, mobility aids or missed work days.
Per capita health spending in the country rose to P11,083 in 2023 — an 8.3 percent jump from the year before. Nationally, the country spent P1.44 trillion on health, or 5.9 percent of the gross domestic product.
A young, unproductive workforce?
The concern isn’t just personal — it’s national.
Obesity is already affecting workplace productivity through absenteeism, presenteeism and even early retirement.
“In the [Philippine National Police], officers were told to lose weight or face reassignment. Some jobs require physical fitness, period,” De los Trinos said.
The link between obesity and diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions often shows up just when Filipinos should be entering their prime earning years. That undercuts the country’s so-called demographic dividend — the economic boost expected from its young population.
Prevention is cheaper than cure
De los Trinos acknowledged that government agencies like PhilHealth and the Department of Health are beginning to craft benefit packages for obesity-related complications.
But he warned: “We don’t want to reach the stage where we’re just paying for complications. Prevention is way cheaper.”
He pointed to urban design as part of the solution — calling for more walkable streets, safe bike lanes, and easier access to healthy food in schools and workplaces.
“In other countries, it’s easy to be active because the environment supports it. We need to build that here,” he added.
With 38.4 percent of Filipino adults now overweight or obese (FNRI, 2021), the message is clear: If the Philippines wants to build a productive workforce, it first needs to lighten the load — literally. (ABS-CBN News)