Bataan province educates youth on healthy lifestyle, mental health

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — About 140 youngsters were educated by the provincial government of Bataan on healthy lifestyle and mental health.

In her lecture during the Youth Congress held at Camp Tolentino, Provincial Health Office Non-Communicable Disease Program Coordinator Catherine Pelaez encouraged attendees to practice healthy living so they can actively perform better in school and in the community.

“Bataeños who die from lifestyle related or non-communicable diseases are increasing that’s why we are urging you to practice healthy lifestyle and avoid the risks factors of acquiring those diseases,” she added.

Pelaez discussed that healthy lifestyle includes being physically fit, eating nutritious food, decreasing alcohol intake, and avoiding tobaccorelated activities.

Moreover, Mariveles Mental Hospital Health Education and Promotion Officer Jojie Maglaqui highlighted the importance of maintaining good mental health.

Maglaqui stressed that people who have mental health issues such as depression should be taken seriously.

“Suicide is the second cause of death among the youth aged 15 to 29 in the world according to the statistics of World Health Organization,” he furthered.

He advised the youth that mental health is an existing issue and people suffering from those issues should be given the right attention and counseli ng.

The provincial government is continuously striving to prolong the life expectancy rate of Bataeños through various health programs for every sector in the community.

The event is in line with Bataan’s vision that by 2020, it will have the lowest poverty incidence resulting from quality growth, attaining top-level human development index in the Philippines.

— Mar Jay S. Delas Alas/ PIA-3