A fellow from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that only 1 percent of eligible Filipinas are getting tested for breast and cervical cancer. Valerie Gilbert Ulep, a senior research fellow at PIDS, stated that screening for breast and cervical cancer in the country "could be the lowest in the world." He noted that Western countries have a 50 percent screening rate, while Malaysia and Thailand are at 20 percent. Cambodia and Myanmar also have better numbers than the Philippines, he added. A significant number of cancer diagnoses are also preventable if more screening is conducted early. According to Ulep, patients aged 40 to 69 years account for the majority of cancer deaths, resulting in social and economic costs for the country. "Data show that for breast cancer alone, 27,000 new cases are reported each year while 9,000 women die annually. "Low screening has been traced to lack of funds provided by the government, especially for the poor. This results in very few government hospitals offering this screening service," Ulep's study said. Moreover, many individuals fear finding out whether they have cancer or not and only choose to get tested once they are already suffering or when it is too late. "We are diagnosing cancer patients at a very, very late stage," Ulep stated, adding that "it boils down to (conducting) comprehensive preventative and curative interventions for the population" to save those afflicted.