Malalakas na tomador: Tinglayan tops Kalinga in binge drinking rate at 31.92%; Health officials warn of health risks

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The municipality of Tinglayan recorded the highest proportion of binge drinkers among all municipalities and the lone city in Kalinga, with 31.92 percent of individuals assessed under the Department of Health's (DOH) Philippine Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease (PhilPEN) Protocol identified as binge drinkers.

The figures were presented by the Provincial Department of Health Office (PDOHO)-Kalinga during the Provincial Roll-out Orientation on Proteksiyon sa Altapresyon (PPSA) held on June 24, 2026.

What is the PhilPEN Protocol?

The Philippine Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease (PhilPEN) Protocol is the Department of Health's standardized screening and risk assessment program designed to detect and prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other lifestyle-related illnesses at the primary healthcare level.

Through PhilPEN, healthcare workers assess individuals for major risk factors including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, obesity, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and harmful alcohol consumption. The program aims to identify high-risk individuals early so they can receive counseling and appropriate medical intervention before developing serious complications.

Who are considered binge drinkers?

Under the DOH PhilPEN Protocol, a person is considered a binge drinker if he or she consumes six or more standard alcoholic drinks on a single drinking occasion. This pattern of heavy drinking is recognized as one of the major behavioral risk factors for hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases.

Among Kalinga's local government units, Pasil ranked second with 20.46 percent of assessed individuals identified as binge drinkers, followed by Tabuk City at 14.05 percent, Rizal at 5.76 percent, Pinukpuk at 5.30 percent, Lubuagan at 4.80 percent, Tanudan at 4.29 percent, and Balbalan, which recorded the lowest proportion at 4.23 percent.

The data presented did not mention the number of people who were risk-assessed per area.

Why binge drinking is dangerous

Health experts warn that binge drinking can have both immediate and long-term health consequences.

According to the Department of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), repeated episodes of heavy alcohol consumption significantly increase the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), stroke, heart disease, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, several forms of cancer, alcohol dependence, depression, and other mental health disorders.

Aside from chronic illnesses, binge drinking also increases the risk of road crashes, drowning, falls, violence, injuries, and other accidents because alcohol impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time.

Because alcohol is one of the major modifiable risk factors for hypertension, reducing excessive drinking is considered an important strategy in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

How to prevent binge drinking

The Department of Health encourages the public to either avoid alcohol or drink responsibly to reduce the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases.

Health professionals recommend limiting alcoholic drinks, avoiding consuming multiple drinks in one sitting, alternating alcoholic beverages with water, eating before drinking, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and having blood pressure checked regularly.

Individuals who find it difficult to control their alcohol intake are also encouraged to seek professional counseling or medical assistance before alcohol use develops into dependence.

The DOH emphasized that adopting healthier lifestyles today can significantly reduce the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and other life-threatening illnesses in the future.