Text by Jennifer F. Manongdo
Photos by Dr. Joselito C. Pascual/PAARM
Behavioral addictions, including mobile gambling and excessive social media use, are emerging as significant and growing public health concerns.
“Addiction is not only about substances. Perhaps one of the most important responsibilities of this Academy is to broaden the way we understand addiction. Behavioral and process addictions are increasingly recognized as significant health problems,” Philippine Academy of Addiction and Recovery Medicine, Inc. (PAARM) President Dr. Joselito C. Pascual said during the group’s inaugural annual convention held at Rosh Hotel, Malate, Manila on Sept. 4, 2026.
He enumerated the behavioral or process addictions prevalent in the country and recognized as significant health problems. These are gambling, problematic digital and media use, compulsive eating, hypersexual behavior, and other repetitive behaviors characterized by impaired control, continued engagement despite harm, and significant disruption of functioning.
“In the Philippines, gambling has long been part of our social and cultural landscape, but accessibility has changed dramatically. What once required physical presence can now occur through a mobile phone—24 hours a day, seven days a week, in the privacy of one’s bedroom,” Dr. Pascual warned.
Furthermore, he said Filipino children are constantly learning from the internet, with the digital world increasingly becoming a source of validation. Recent reports have placed children at the center of violent headlines, including school shootings and suicides. In August 2026, authorities said they had uncovered a group of “groomers” who allegedly encouraged children to carry out acts of violence through a group chat whose members included both foreigners and Filipinos.
Dr. Pascual emphasized the need to build bridges with related medical specialties for better treatment outcomes for patients. He added that addiction should be recognized as a medical and public health concern.
Not just a medical issue
Addiction recovery requires more than just telling the person that he needs medical treatment.
Speaking at the convention on the interplay between addiction and recovery medicine within population health systems, Dr. Paul Lawrence Filomeno explained that, for some patients, drug use becomes deeply intertwined with their social identity, shaping their daily routines and creating an automatic network of peers that fosters a sense of belonging.
“Therefore, recovery is not just about quitting a substance. In order to embrace recovery, they must first let go of their communities,” he said.
“If we want to help individuals recover, we must recognize that they retain agency, and they retain choice. We empower patients to make better decisions. But we must also recognize that their choice is constrained by their environment. So, we must also help them improve their environments,” he emphasized.
Also featured in the PAARM inaugural annual convention are Dr. Rafael Henry Legaspi, who spoke on “The Philosophy and Science of the ‘Puzzle’ that is Addiction,” Dr. Allandale Nacino, who tackled “The Family in Addiction and Recovery,” and Dr. Pamela Bianca Bandelaria, who talked about the “Pediatric Perspective on Transforming Addiction Care.”
Dr. Jiggy Leonard Landong and Dr. Jonna Datu were also present at the convention, with Dr. Landong presenting “Beyond the Diagnosis: An Internist’s Journey into Addiction and Recovery Medicine” and Dr. Datu discussing “At the Crossroads of Neurology and Addiction Medicine.”
Established in 2021, PAARM aims to advance comprehensive addiction and recovery medicine practice for individuals, families, and communities, in support of the Universal Health Care (UHC) goals in the Philippines. PAARM aims to elevate the standards of care by advancing compassionate, evidence-based practices, fostering transdisciplinary training, promoting ethical research, and advocating for sound and informed policy development in the field of addiction and recovery medicine.
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