Sen. Raffy Tulfo has called for urgent government action against the rising cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the country, warning that the illness has become a “silent killer” affecting millions of Filipinos across age groups.
In pushing for wider access to kidney care, Tulfo said about 13 million Filipinos are now suffering from various stages of CKD. Citing data from the Philippine Society of Nephrology, he said one Filipino develops chronic renal failure every hour.
“Today, I wish to address an urgent public health issue that is silently but steadily affecting the Filipino people: ang pagtaas ng kaso ng Chronic Kidney Disease,” Tulfo said.
The senator expressed concern that kidney disease is no longer confined to the elderly. He said 57.44 percent of patients are now between 20 and 59 years old, with hospitals also recording cases among teenagers and even children.
Tulfo cited cases brought to his office, including Mariano Trias, who was diagnosed at 30; Ron Ryan Jacinto, who was diagnosed at 16 and has been undergoing dialysis for six years; and Argee Sibulan, who was diagnosed with Stage 5 CKD at only four years old and has been on dialysis for nearly a decade.
According to Tulfo, one in three CKD patients is already in Stages 3 to 5, where treatment costs can become overwhelming. He said expenses may reach up to P116,000 for non-diabetic patients, while diabetic patients may spend between P46,000 and P120,000 to manage the disease.
The senator identified uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension as the leading causes of CKD, citing information from the Department of Health and the Philippine Renal Disease Registry. High blood sugar can damage the kidneys over time, while high blood pressure can harm blood vessels and the kidneys’ filtering system.
Tulfo said the Philippines remains among Southeast Asian countries with high CKD cases due to persistent health risks, limited public awareness, and gaps in the healthcare system.
To address the problem, he pushed for stronger early detection programs, including routine blood pressure and blood sugar checks, wider access to the Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio test, and warning labels on food products high in sugar and sodium.
He also urged his colleagues to support Senate Bill No. 2123, or the proposed “Accessible Kidney Care Act,” which seeks to provide free kidney health screenings in barangay health centers and Super Health Centers nationwide.
“Dapat may mga programa para sa early detection, essential diagnostic procedures such as the Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio test at health label ratings sa mga produktong pagkain,” Tulfo said.