President Duterte graces 7th Union Asia Pacific Regional Conference

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the opening ceremony of the 7th Union Asia Pacific Regional Conference held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on April 23, 2019. REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

PASAY CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, April 23, graced the 7th Union Asia Pacific Regional Conference held at the Philippine International Convention Center. During the event, the Chief Executive said that tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases need to be cured.

President Duterte described tuberculosis as a disease that would need “a lot of care, antibiotics, periodic injections” and require a lot of money.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte poses for posterity with the officers of the Union and officials of the Department of Health during the opening ceremony of the 7th Union Asia Pacific Regional Conference held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on April 23, 2019. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The Chief Executive noted that it is crucial for health workers to find a way to get their services to the poorest people and those who are in mountain areas. “They are the ones who need it most. They are the ones who live in squalor, in blighted areas. No nutrition and very susceptible to bacteria and virus,” the President said.

“The health workers have to penetrate the mountains and areas where I said plight of squalor abound,” the President added.

President Duterte pointed out the challenge of gathering the people or health workers that would “do their work with a little bit of patriotism” to reach out to the intended beneficiaries.

The Union Asia Pacific Region Conference is a non-government office consisting of 13 heritage countries, 2 organizational members, and individual members.

Its primary goal is to assist in the progressive reduction in ill-health and death and adverse social and economic impact from tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases and their eventual elimination in the Asia Pacific Region.

With the theme “Unity in Diversity: One Against Tuberculosis and Other Lung Diseases,” the conference runs until April 26. It features a variety of world-class informative talks regarding tuberculosis and other respiratory-related diseases.


Stay updated with news and information from the Presidential Communications Operations Office by visiting their website at https://pcoo.gov.ph.

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