QC LGU strengthens cancer care program through '30-day screening to treatment'
The Quezon City government strengthened its cancer care program through a partnership with the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The “ACT NOW: 30-Day Screening to Treatment” is a campaign that aims to improve QCitizen’s access to cancer screening, treatment, and support systems.
All cancer-related interventions, from detection and referral to patient medication, will be completed within 30 days.
“Hindi biro ang sakit na cancer. Bukod sa pagiging banta sa kalusugan, pabigat din ito sa mga pamilya dahil napakamahal ng gamutan para rito. Kapag mas maagang na-detect ang cancer at mayroon na tayong nakahandang mga programa, maaagapan natin ito at maiiwasan ang malalang epekto nito sa buhay at kabuhayan ng ating mga mamamayan (Cancer is no joke. Besides being a health threat, it is also a burden on families because the treatment for it is very expensive. When cancer is detected earlier and we have programs in place, we can prevent it and prevent its severe impact on the lives and livelihoods of our citizens),” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
In observance of the 2025 World Cancer Day, Mayor Belmonte led the official launch of the program with PCS president Dr. Corazon Ngelangel, and Department of Health (DOH) Cancer Control Division chief Dr. Jan Aura Llevado.
Representatives from the Philippine Society of Oncologists, Jhpiego, George Institute for Global Health, Union for International Cancer Control, NOMAN, Cancer Coalition PH, Cancer Warriors Foundation, Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, East Avenue Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and St. Luke’s Medical Center were also present at the event.
Cancer screening initiatives will be conducted in city health centers and through community outreach programs while the PCS mobile bus will travel across communities to provide free breast cancer screenings, while the LGU will offer free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing.
The ACT NOW Advocacy started in 2023 and was initially launched in Barangay Commonwealth, which utilized an integrated online portal to target women who are seen as at risk of breast cancer.
The patient was further assessed at the nearest health center or PCS mobile clinic, which shortened the process from consultation and diagnosis up to the treatment referral to a partner hospital, DOH-designated cancer centers, and cancer medical access programs sites.