Cancer control ordinanceOK’d

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has advanced public health policy after approving the City of Cebu Integrated Cancer Control Ordinance as cancer continues to rank among the leading causes of death in the country.

The Department of Health (DOH) records show that more than 300 Filipinos die of cancer each day.

In Cebu, hospitals noted rising cases of breast and cervical cancer among women and lung cancer among men, trends that mirror the national picture.

The ordinance establishes a comprehensive framework for cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship within the city’s health system, aligning Cebu City’s response with the mandates of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) and the Universal Health Care Act.

It ensures that residents benefit from coordinated, people?centered cancer care at the local level.

The ordinance was authored by Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa, who emphasized during the third and final reading that cancer is not only a medical issue but also a social and economic crisis.

He noted that many families are driven into debt by treatment costs and lack of access to support.

“This ordinance calls for a comprehensive, coordinated, and people?centered response involving the city government, the public, and private stakeholders as a whole,” Abellanosa said before moving for its approval.

Under the measure, the City Health Department, in collaboration with DOH and other stakeholders, will implement city?wide screening and vaccination programs, prioritizing liver and cervical cancers, and early detection strategies for breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers.

It envisions the creation of a city?level cancer care center, a patient navigation, and referral system to guide families through diagnosis and treatment, and financial support mechanisms that integrate the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and charitable institutions to reduce out?of?pocket expenses.

A population?based cancer registry will be established in coordination with DOH, strictly observing privacy laws.

The month of February will be observed annually as Cebu City Cancer Awareness Month, with February 4 designated as Cancer Awareness Day.

The ordinance also recognizes cancer patients and survivors as persons with disabilities, entitling them to social welfare benefits, and enforces strict non?discrimination policies in schools, workplaces, and public spaces.

The measure creates a Cancer Control Review Board chaired by the city mayor and composed of city officials, hospital directors, DOH representatives, non-governmental organizations, patient support groups, and oncology experts.

The board will monitor implementation, evaluate outcomes, and recommend improvements, with special attention to vulnerable sectors such as the elderly, women, children, and the poor.

Funding for the ordinance will be included in the city’s annual budget, with barangays authorized to allocate resources for localized health promotion projects.

Violations of the non?discrimination provisions will carry fines ranging from P1,000 to P2,000, without prejudice to other penalties under national laws. — (FREEMAN)