Life Plus Community by Zhey PTRP

People often celebrate career milestones, financial wins, and achievements.

But here’s one that’s deeply personal:

Thriving in my late 40s.

Navigating perimenopause has been one of the biggest transitions of my life. It comes with physical changes, emotional ups and downs, and days that test your patience and resilience.

I’ve learned that growing older isn’t about resisting change—it’s about preparing your body and mind to go through it with strength and grace.

For me, that means making better lifestyle choices, staying active, prioritizing rest, and supporting my nutrition. iFern supplements have become part of that routine, helping me stay consistent with my wellness goals.

I’m grateful that I can continue showing up—for my work, my family, my purpose, and most importantly, for myself.

Aging isn’t something to fear.

It’s another chapter where we can become wiser, stronger, and healthier than we ever imagined.

Here’s to becoming the best version of ourselves, one healthy choice at a time. 💚

Every time I read about kidney disease and dialysis, I can’t help but think of my father.

Watching someone you love go through dialysis changes the way you look at health. You see the physical exhaustion, the emotional burden, the financial strain, and the sacrifices made not only by the patient but by the entire family.

That’s why Dr. Tony Leachon’s message that dialysis is often a sign of neglect resonates deeply with me.

I agree that our healthcare system has a bigger role to play—improving access to preventive care, early screening, public education, and affordable treatment. Prevention should never be a privilege reserved for a few.

But while we continue to advocate for better healthcare policies, we must also recognize something equally important:

Our daily choices matter.

Many chronic diseases don’t develop overnight. They are often the result of years of unmanaged high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, inadequate sleep, chronic stress, and delayed medical check-ups.

The encouraging part is that many of these risk factors can be reduced.

We may not control our genetics or every circumstance in life, but we can choose to:
• Know our blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Nourish our bodies with balanced nutrition.
• Stay physically active in ways we enjoy.
• Prioritize sleep and recovery.
• Seek medical advice before symptoms become serious.

Advocating for ourselves is one of the greatest forms of self-care.

Let’s continue pushing for a healthcare system that prioritizes prevention. At the same time, let’s not underestimate the power of the choices we make every single day.

Because healthy aging isn’t just about living longer—it’s about preserving the strength, independence, and quality of life to enjoy the years ahead.

If my father’s journey taught me anything, it’s this:

The best time to protect our kidneys—and our health—is long before disease forces us to.

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💔 Dialysis: A Symptom of Neglect

President Marcos recently emphasized the need to expand services for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, noting that over 11% of Filipinos suffer from CKD.

But here’s the deeper truth: the mushrooming of dialysis centers is not progress — it’s a warning sign. It reflects the failure to control diabetes and hypertension, the two leading causes of kidney failure.

👉 PhilHealth spends ₱17 billion annually on dialysis.
👉 Without prevention, this cost will only skyrocket.
👉 Dialysis is not the solution — prevention is.

What we need is:

• Stronger primary care and early detection.
• Nationwide campaigns on healthy living.
• Real investment in PhilHealth reforms and preventive programs.

Prevent Dialysis. Protect Lives.

Diabetes and hypertension are silent epidemics. They lead thousands to dialysis every year — a burden that could be prevented with strong government action.

This is not just a medical issue. It is a matter of responsibility.

• DEPED & CHED: Teach nutrition and health literacy in schools.
• DILG & LGUs: Build parks, bike lanes, and safe spaces for exercise.
• DOH & FDA: Enforce calorie counters, food labeling, and healthier food standards.

Other countries have shown the way — with food labeling laws, school-based prevention programs, and community parks policies that reduce diabetes and hypertension.

The Philippines must act now. Prevention is cheaper than dialysis. Prevention saves lives. Prevention is justice.



Dialysis should not be the default future for Filipinos. Prevention is cheaper, kinder, and more just.




Tony Leachon

I speak about health and nutrition with intention—because I’ve lived through what happens when they’re neglected.

There was a time when life felt uncertain. No backup plans, no financial literacy, and resources stretched thin. It takes a toll—not just on the body, but on the mind and spirit.

What I share comes from firsthand experience—something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

That’s why I believe:
✨ Faith restores hope
✨ Health restores dignity

When we choose to care for our bodies, we’re not just preventing illness—we’re reclaiming the quality of life we all deserve.

Faith, hope, and love for our health—these are not luxuries. They are essentials.

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We spend a lot of time debating who actually belongs to the "Middle Class" in the Philippines. We define it by car ownership, air conditioning, and a monthly salary bracket.

As an economist, I need to shatter that definition. In the Philippines, the middle class is an illusion maintained entirely by good health. 📉🏥

Let’s talk about "Economic Precarity."

In a functional social democracy, the middle class is protected by an impenetrable floor: universal healthcare and state pensions. In the Philippines, that floor does not exist. You can work for twenty years, buy a house in Laguna, send your kids to a private school, and save a million pesos.

But the moment you or your spouse receives a severe cancer diagnosis, or suffers a stroke requiring intensive care, you are instantly financially annihilated.

Because the state does not cover catastrophic illnesses, your lifetime of savings is vaporized in three weeks of private hospital billing. You are forced to sell the car, mortgage the house, and pull the kids out of school.

The Philippine middle class isn't a permanent economic standing; it is a temporary state of grace. You are only ever one major medical emergency away from falling completely back into the poverty your parents worked so hard to escape.