Health advocates called on the national government to allocate a bigger budget for the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), saying this would help improve the country’s defense against the disease.

Cancer Coalition’s Vice President Carmen Auste explained why the allotment of additional funds is necessary. 

“We are thankful for the budget we now have, but we need to increase it based on the data we have,” said Auste. The Department of Health (DOH), according to the experts, was given about one billion budget for cancer control, but this remains “insufficient” to address breast cancer-related matters alone. 

For Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) Executive Director Teodoro Padilla, additional funding equates to higher chances of procuring medicines as well as granting easier access especially for Filipinos in need.

“Cancer is something we could live with and not die from,” said Padilla.

Cancer, based on the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2022, remained one of the leading causes of mortality in the Philippines. Incidentally, it was also one of the top causes of death in the country in 2021 and 2020.