Taguig wins award for breast cancer program

MANILA, Philippines — The Taguig City government has earned a Galing Pook award for its breast cancer control program dubbed “Ating Dibdibin.”

Conferred by President Marcos on Friday, the award recognizes local government innovations that make a positive impact on communities.

Of the 147 entries from 111 local governments, Taguig emerged as one of the 10 winners of the Galing Pook Awards 2024.

Ating Dibdibin, established in 2012 in partnership with the ICanServe Foundation, is a community-based initiative focused on early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

The program has been institutionalized through local ordinances and employs a patient navigation system, which has become a model for other local government units.

With trained barangay health workers acting as patient navigators, the program ensures that breast cancer patients receive guided support throughout the health care continuum, including free diagnostic services, treatment and psycho-social support.

“We believe every breast cancer patient deserves a second chance at life. Every home deserves a happy, healthy mother, sister or daughter. We continue to intensify our efforts to keep families together. Ating Dibdibin ang laban sa breast cancer,” Mayor Lani Cayetano said.

The city government, Cayetano said, would soon open a bigger breast cancer center to accommodate more patients.

“We will upgrade equipment, continue to provide quality cancer care and provide a more holistic survivorship and supportive care for patients,” Cayetano said.