President Marcos has stressed the need for more aggressive action against cancer—the second leading cause of death now in the Philippines.
Marcos made the statement as he led the groundbreaking ceremony of the cancer care center of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
He cited that from January to May this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ranked cancer as the second leading cause of death now in the country.
"Aggressive as this terrible disease is, we need to be equally aggressive in providing treatment for our patients—to give them hope, to provide them with care, make them feel at home, at the time when they need it the most," he said in his speech.
"And this is why the hospital’s second floor will be dedicated to the Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center," he added.
The President said the cancer care center will address the increasing demand for cancer treatment and the limited capacity of the OFW Hospital. It will function as both an outpatient department and a cancer treatment facility.
Since the inauguration of the OFW Hospital in 2022, Marcos emphasized its daily outpatient capacity already exceeded 160 patients, with vital areas like the reception and admitting sections repurposed as triage zones.
The new cancer care center is expected to accommodate 64 patients and will provide various treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, diagnostic and staging services, and surgical oncology, among others.
Construction of the facility is set to begin in January 2025 and is expected to be completed by November 2025.
It is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2026, following the acquisition of necessary permits and licenses from the Department of Health (DOH).
Marcos also paid tribute to the late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople, acknowledging his tireless dedication to the welfare of OFWs.
He said that her legacy continues to guide Filipinos and reminds the public to approach every patient with compassion and care.
“Sa aming minamahal na OFWs, ang karagdagang pasilidad na ito ay para po sa inyo at sa inyong pamilya. Hindi naman natin hinahangad na magamit ninyo ito, ngunit mas makakahinga tayo nang maluwag kung alam natin na may matatakbuhan na ospital ang ating mga OFWs sa oras ng inyong pangangailangan (To our OFWs, this additional facility is for you and your family. We are not wishing for you to use this, but we can be at ease knowing that we have a hospital to run to in times of need),” the President said.
“Nawa’y ang cancer care [center] na ito ay maging simbolo ng ating mas magandang kinabukasan—kung saan ang sakripisyo ng ating mga OFWs ay masuklian, ang kanilang pangarap ay mabigyang katuparan, at ang kanilang kalusugan ay pinapahalagahan (May the cancer care center become a symbol for our brighter future where the sacrifices of our OFWs are being reciprocated, their dreams be realized, and their health being taken care of,” he added.
Marcos also noted there are already two existing cancer centers in the Philippines: the UP-PGHl Cancer Center in Manila and the Philippine Cancer Center in Quezon City.