JEDDAH, 30 November 2007 — Avoid fatty foods and get enough exercise.

This advice from doctors is nothing new, but the Philippine Consulate says Filipinos need to be reminded as it warned that lifestyle-related deaths among Filipinos in the Western Region is on the rise.

Consul General Pendosina Lomondot said that out of 141 Filipino deaths in different parts of the region during the first nine months of the year, 82 (58 percent) were caused by cardiac arrest and other cardiovascular illnesses.

Deaths caused by accidents were a far second at 29 (20.5 percent). Sixteen deaths (11.3 percent) were attributed to other illnesses, and 14 were stillborn babies.

“Obviously, we need to control our eating habits,” Lomondot said, adding that cardiovascular illnesses had long been found to be caused by fatty foods.

“We must all exercise regularly, be it walking, running, workout, engaging in sports activities or other forms of exercises. We are the only ones who can control ourselves.

“We all know that food here is inexpensive and we can eat any time but we are not getting younger anymore so we have to take care of ourselves,” said Lomondot, who will be leaving his post after three-and-a-half years.

Lomondot will be returning to the home office after an extended tour of duty. His successor, Consul General Ezzedine Tago, is expected to assume office tomorrow.

15 Deaths a Month

Records of Filipinos deaths in the past years were not immediately available, but Rico Silva of the consulate’s Assistance to Nationals Section, said he receives almost 15 reports of deaths per month.

“As far as I remember, the number of deaths reported this year’s is higher than last year’s. It is really sad on our part to see our countrymen returning home in coffins. Everyone must really take heed of the doctor’s advice,” he said.

According to Silva, of the total number of deaths in the first to 3rd quarter of the year, 114 were male and 17 are female.

Jeddah was on the top list with 86 death cases, followed by the northern city of Tabuk with 8 cases, and Yanbu with 6.

Makkah, Al-Baha, Abha and Khamis Mushayt each reported 5 death cases; Madinah, 4; Al-Darb and Rabigh had 3 each; Gizan, Al Lith, Taif and Najran each had 2 deaths; Baljurashi and Bisha had 1 each. One other OFW based in the Western Region died while in Riyadh.

Silva said the overall total for the Kingdom could probably be three-fold considering that the Filipino population in the Western Region is estimated to be only one-third of the Central and Eastern parts of the Kingdom, which are under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

Of those who died in the Western Region from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the bodies of 80 were repatriated to the Philippines, 44 were buried in the Kingdom, and 17 are still awaiting repatriation.

Among those repatriated recently was the body of Fernando Bohol, a worker who died of massive stroke at a hospital in Jeddah four months ago.

Silva said it took long to repatriate Bohol’s remains because of lack of any identification documents, which are required by the local police.

Bohol was reportedly brought to the hospital by an unnamed woman, who later disappeared.