The danger of TB is real. Out of 196 countries, the Philippines has the distinction of being included in the top 22 high-burden tuberculosis countries in the world. This report is according to the World Health Organizations (WHO), which ranks the Philippines at number nine worldwide. Together, these 22 countries (including the Philippines) contribute 80 percent of the global TB burden. TB is a disease of poverty and the high TB burden is a reflection of our economic status. On the other hand, some people consider being number nine as “good news” since we came from number seven worldwide! In fact, after China, the Philippines had the second highest number of TB cases in the WHO Western Pacific Region in 2007.