Government, Medical Societies, Pharmacists, Patient Orgs, Commit to Cervical Cancer Elimination in the Philippines

For the first time ever, over 400 stakeholders, including municipalities, healthcare advocacy groups, national agencies, and civil societies, stood united against the Big C at the 1st Philippine Cervical Cancer Elimination Summit, titled ‘One Community Against HPV’.

In the Philippines, cervical cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer that claims the lives of 12 Filipina women each day, leading to over 4000 untimely deaths each year and putting about 40 Million Filipina women and children at risk.

However, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global strategy, the Philippines can eliminate cervical cancer if it meets its 90-70-90 targets. This goal rests on three key pillars: vaccinating 90% of girls with the HPV vaccine by age 15, screening 70% of women with high-performance tests by ages 35-45, and treating 90% of women with pre-cancer and invasive cancer.

Acknowledging that reaching the 90-70-90 goals for immunization, screening, and treatment of cervical cancer would require a whole-of-society approach; the government and various organizations throughout the country have pledged their commitment to accelerate efforts to eradicate cervical cancer.

Cervical Cancer on the national agenda

The National Government, through the Senate Committee on Health, has consistently advocated for increased funding for the Cancer Assistance Fund, which supports cancer patients in their medical treatment.

Senator Bong Go, the committee chair, emphasized the urgency of addressing cervical cancer, emphasizing that as a country, the Philippines can change the status quo, “Cervical cancer has taken far too many lives, too soon, and this summit is a powerful step towards changing that narrative. This is not just a policy imperative but a moral obligation to protect the health and futures of our mothers, daughters, and sisters.”

Likewise, the Department of Health (DOH) reaffirmed its mandate to protect the lives and advance the health of every Filipino, highlighting its unwavering support for a future free from cervical cancer. Undersecretary Glenn Mathew Baggao emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “No one organization can completely eradicate cervical cancer on its own. We cannot bring about significant change unless healthcare providers, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and most importantly, the people we serve will work together.”

The DOH has integrated the Cancer Control Program into its 8-point action agenda in developing the cervical cancer elimination framework, demonstrating its commitment to a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to combat this disease.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) echoed its support for advancing public health through local governance, highlighting the agency’s leadership and critical role in providing localized healthcare services and access to the public.

“Our collective effort to address public health challenges and multisectoral partnership is pivotal in achieving meaningful impact and progress in our fight against cervical cancer in the Philippines,” stated Lilian De Leon, Assistant Secretary of International Relations of DILG. “We are mobilizing the LGUs to advocate for policies that support cervical cancer prevention and control efforts.”

United response against cervical cancer

In the Philippine landscape, the Local Government Units (LGU) play a critical role in transforming these goals into action. The country consists of 1,493 municipalities and 42,004 barangays that have a direct influence on pushing this health advocacy to their constituents.

With the recent expanded devolution under the Mandanas Ruling, which gives more power and funding to the local government, the LGUs are more accountable for advancing public health now more than ever.

Mayor Chrislyn Abadilla of Banna, Ilocos Norte, demonstrated this commitment at the summit by being the first municipality in the Philippines to achieve the 90-70-90 targets. By successfully achieving a 91.16% vaccination rate of girls aged 9 to 14 years, the municipality of Banna effectively protects its women and children against HPV and cervical cancer, showcasing this national goal is indeed possible.

“It is about pushing ourselves to the limit for this health advocacy for our people,” said Mayor Chrislyn Adabilla. “If a small town in Ilocos Norte could do it, any other municipality could, too. Other cities have more resources and better manpower.”

In Quezon City, the local government has pledged to continuously strengthen its capacity and build more infrastructure to help cervical cancer patients and prevent HPV infection. As of this date, thermal ablation treatments for HPV can now be done in more local centers in the city.

“From July 2022 and February 2024, we found that about 10% of more than 5,000 women screened are positive for HPV infection.” said Dr. Ramona Abarquez, OIC of the Quezon City Health Department. “We don’t want to lose 10% of our teens and our mothers to cancer that is preventable, detectable, and treatable if found on time.”

“Despite its challenges, we are on the road to zero cervical cancer cases. At QC, no women and adolescents will be left behind.”

“My message to chief executives of local governments is to prioritize public health by localizing NICCA through a provincial, city, or municipal ordinance,” said Councilor Alfred Vargas as he shared about the Quezon City Integrated Cancer Control Ordinance, the 1st LGU ordinance to localize the NICCA law, recognizing the shared accountability of the national and local governments to realize the promises of NICCA in partnership with private sector, healthcare providers, and patient groups.

Other LGUs have also expressed their continued support for democratizing access to HPV immunization and test centers and supporting healthcare policies to advance cervical cancer elimination.

“We are on track to digitalize our information to effectively reach our constituents and harness data we could use to program our healthcare advocacies and allocate resources,” said Mayor Ruffy Biazon of Muntinlupa City. “We want to develop the confidence of our people to get themselves checked and strengthen grassroots health services.”

“In Valenzuela, the HPV vaccination rate rose to 300% from the last quarter of 2023.” said Dr. Ato Basco of the Valenzuela City Health Office, “Our tangible commitment is ready: we have the manpower, the vaccines are available, and the services are accessible. Our people need to understand that cervical cancer is preventable.”

“We have institutionalized the ‘Aksyon Bilis GIRL POWERS Laban sa Cancer’, or the local cancer control program, which is a well-funded patient-centered program at all levels,” said Dr. Fernan Macrin Ramos of Santo Tomas Batangas City Health Office. “Through various initiatives, we are intensifying our fight against cancer, especially cervical cancer.”

Addressing the healthcare gap

Experts acknowledged the fact that despite being one of the few forms of preventable cancers through vaccination, there’s still a wide healthcare gap in preventing cervical cancer in the country.

“We fully support the advocacy to eliminate cervical cancer because we know that it is a cancer that we could stop.” said Dr. Conception Rayel, Head of United Action Against Cervical Cancer Taskforce Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society “We know the etiologic agent and that vaccination helps. We know how to screen. We know how to diagnose. We know how to treat. Yet, 4000 Filipinas die each year; there seems to be a big gap.”

“Our commitment is unwavering. We are dedicated to implementing comprehensive strategies to tackle this disease head-on,” said Dr. Maria Lorena Santos, President of the Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology. We pledge to increase the screening rate of our women with high-performance tests by the age of 35 and 45.” Early detection saves lives. We must do everything to make sure no women slip through the cracks of our healthcare system.”

“In all my capacity as an esteemed reproductive health advocate, I pledge to illuminate the path to prevention, empowering minds with the understanding and awareness of protecting their future reproductive health,” stated Dr. Socorro Bernardino, Former President of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecologic Society of the Philippines. Together, let’s shield tomorrow one young life at a time.”

Healthcare advocacy groups, together with top Philippine specialty doctors, have pledged their unwavering support for addressing literacy and vaccination gaps in the country by promoting awareness, combatting misinformation, and strongly recommending HPV vaccination to the patients they serve.

“For the past 25 years, we have been championing protection against vaccine-preventable diseases through vaccination, in partnership with different agencies.” said Dr. Maria Rosario Capeding, President of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination “Prevention is better than cure. We are committed to protecting our young adults.”

“We are with you all in collectively acting to promote HPV vaccination, especially among our young adolescents, and together build a more just future for our Filipino children,” said Dr. Mary Joan Millonado, Vice President of the Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association.

To enhance the public’s accessibility to vaccines, the Philippine Society of Pharmacists Vaccinators (PSPV) has pledged their commitment to advancing their practice by promoting vaccine administration in local pharmacies and making HPV vaccines accessible in pharmacies nationwide.

“Our goal is to support public health in the country. We now have over 1,200 certified pharmacist vaccinators who can safely administer HPV vaccines to adults,” said Hazel Docuyanan, President of PSPV. “With this initiative, we can contribute as one community to eliminate cervical cancer.”

“We want to translate science into action. We need to translate all these numbers into greater action that will pave the way towards protection, saving lives, and economic growth in the country.” stated Dr. Lulu Bravo, Convenor of the Vaccine Study Group at NIH-UPM says “We really need to work together.”

A survivor’s plea

At the summit, Ms. Toots Magsino, a Filipina cervical cancer survivor, shared her inspiring journey of hope and resilience. While still grieving the recent passing of her father, she experienced sudden and profuse bleeding, which led her to seek medical attention. “I was just fortunate that my bleeding was a sign that I couldn’t ignore, and it led me to an early diagnosis,” she recounted.

Ms. Magsino emphasized that many early signs of cervical cancer are subtle and even non-existent, leading to many cases being discovered at a later stage. “As I came to know more about cervical cancer, I found out that many times, early signs are quite subtle and even non-existent. That’s why many cases are discovered at a later stage.”

“Getting cancer is no longer a death sentence, nor is it the end of the world. Advances in medicine have improved quite rapidly,” she stated. “For me, acceptance was key. Denial and flight response just prolongs the inevitable and adds unnecessary stress. So the sooner you face the situation, the better equipped you will be to fight the good fight.”

A united voice for cervical cancer patients

Patient advocacy groups and cancer support organizations in the Philippines have also pledged their unwavering commitment to fulfilling their roles in spreading awareness and providing support and resources to cancer patients and their families.

Ms. Carmen Auste, CEO of the Cancer Warriors Foundation, emphasized the need for unity and a collective voice in the battle against cervical cancer. “We should not just be one community but also have one voice,” said Auste. “Let us unite and speak out about the importance of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening. Let us act now to bridge the gap and create a healthy and happy future for all women and girls.”

The 1st Philippine Cervical Cancer Elimination Summit marked a significant milestone in the fight against cervical cancer, as stakeholders from various sectors pledged their commitment to turning words into action. The summit showcased the power of collaboration and the importance of a united front in achieving the common goal of eliminating cervical cancer in the Philippines.