Over 500 participants gather at SM Seaside City Cebu to raise awareness, hope, and compassion
More than 500 Cebuanos came together on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at SM Seaside City Cebu to join the World Walks Against Dementia 2025, a global campaign uniting communities across 46 countries in raising awareness and compassion for those living with dementia.
The Cebu event was organized by the Purple Angel Global Dementia Awareness Movement, Cebu Children’s Paradise Montessori School, Inc. (CCPMSI), and the Institute for Dementia Care Asia (IDCA), with the support of SM Cares and SM Seaside City Cebu, which hosted the walk inside its mall premises. The Cebu Online News Press Corps is the official media partner of the event.
“A Promise to Care”
Leading the Cebu walk was Marivic Bathan, CCPMSI President and Purple Angel Ambassador for Cebu. She welcomed participants by affirming that the walk was more than just a symbolic gathering.
“By wearing purple, we say we care, we remember, and we walk together,” Bathan said. “This is a promise to raise awareness, a promise to fight myths, a promise to care with dignity and respect, and above all, a promise to never let dementia steal the value and worth of a person’s life.”
Bathan also shared her personal journey, noting that her family has seniors in their 80s and 90s, including an aunt living with dementia. She underscored the potential of the Montessori approach to dementia care, which she first studied in Australia, and which CCPMSI now promotes alongside its education programs for children.
Medical Insights on Dementia
The walk also featured a talk by Dr. Jarungchai Anton “Toom” Vatanagul, Dean and Associate Professor IV at Cebu Normal University and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center College of Medicine. A neurologist and proud Montessori parent, Dr. Vatanagul emphasized the importance of understanding dementia clearly.
He explained the difference between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia:
MCI is an early stage of memory or cognitive loss, but individuals can still perform daily activities.
Dementia is diagnosed when memory or cognitive decline interferes with everyday living, such as dressing, bathing, or using a phone.
“Mere forgetfulness does not always equate to dementia,” he clarified. “In dementia, it is often the recent memory that is affected. People may forget today’s events but still recall songs by Karen Carpenter or Frank Sinatra.”
Using examples such as Bruce Willis (frontotemporal dementia), Robin Williams (Lewy Body Disease), and Ronald Reagan (Alzheimer’s Disease), Dr. Vatanagul emphasized that dementia can affect anyone — regardless of age, gender, or social status.
He also highlighted the urgency of the issue: by 2030, an estimated 1.4 million Filipinos will be living with dementia, making it a pressing national health concern.
The Seniors’ Perspective
Adding to the discussion, Jocelyn Tabotabo, Regional Director of the National Commission for Senior Citizens (NCSC) Region VII, provided a broader view of the challenges facing the country’s elderly population.
She reported that as of 2024, the Philippines has over 12 million senior citizens, projected to reach 14% of the population by 2030. Yet access to specialized care remains limited — only 27.6% have access to geriatric services, and Cebu City has just three geriatricians.
Other sobering statistics include:
57% of seniors live with physical disabilities
30% experience depression
10% suffer from neglect or abuse
“These are rising cases,” Tabotabo warned, stressing the importance of stronger support systems.
She outlined NCSC’s key programs, which include wellness, health, emergency, and livelihood services, with dementia prevention and control now among its priorities. The Commission is also working with local governments to establish Senior Citizens Community Care Centers, which will provide geriatric assessments, immunization programs for flu and pneumonia, and other essential services. Region VII already has four such centers in operation.
Walking Together
The Cebu walk drew participants from all walks of life — leaders, doctors, caregivers, youth, families, and seniors. International guests included Mr. Nobuyoshi Wake and Hiroshi Kaihata from Japan, operators of Montessori care homes in Okayama, who joined to witness Cebu’s commitment. Noemi Carmack, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) USA-trained, experienced, and American Montessori Society (AMS) instructor, with her husband also joined the walk.
IDCA President & Head of St. Luke’s Medical Center’s Memory Center, Dr. Jacqueline Dominguez, Purple Angel Southeast Asia Operations Head, Jiil Arsenal, and INDAK Program Co-Founder, Jaypee Decena, flew in from Manila after the morning walk at UP Diliman. IDCA-Dumaguete Head, Dr. Justine Iway, joined the panel discussion.
As the sea of purple moved through the SM Seaside premises, the message of unity was clear. Bathan’s call resonated with the crowd:
“Are you ready to walk for hope? Are you ready to walk for compassion? Are you ready to walk for dignity? Then let us walk with courage. Let us walk with purpose, and let us walk together—because every step we take today is a step closer to a world where no one faces dementia alone.”
Cebu’s participation in this worldwide campaign affirmed a shared belief: dementia may touch lives, but it will never diminish them. Through awareness, compassion, and innovation, communities can ensure that every person living with dementia is treated with dignity, respect, and love.
