CITIZENWATCH PHILIPPINES STATEMENT ON SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN MOVE TO PASS THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED CANCER CONTROL BILL
June 1, 2018
CITIZENWATCH PHILIPPINES STATEMENT ON SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN MOVE TO PASS THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED CANCER CONTROL BILL
16 Senators led by Committee on Health Chairman JV Ejercito has submitted for plenary consideration Senate Committee Report No. 399, moving for the approval of Senate Bill No. 1850 known as the National Integrated Cancer Control Bill.
The bill merited the support of Senators: JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Frank Drilon, Migz Zubiri, Ralph Recto, Kiko Pangilinan, Richard Gordon, Grace Poe, Sonny Trillanes, Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Cynthia Villar, Joel Villanueva and Ping Lacson.
Concurrently, the House of Representatives Committee on Health Chaired by Cong Helen Tan has likewise approved the consolidated version of the Cancer Control Bill for referral to the Committees on Appropriations Chaired by Cong Karlo Nograles and Committee on Ways and Means Chaired by Cong. Dax Cua.
The bill was initially filed by Cong. Alfred Vargas and has since gained strong momentum poised to become a landmark law with close to 200 sponsors from the House of Representatives.
When passed, the law will strengthen the government’s support on the prevention of cancer, its treatment and care for cancer patients and their families. it will also expand the rights and privileges of cancer patients akin to that of persons with disabilities.
CitizenWatch strongly supports this urgent legislative initiative in solidarity with the advocacy of the Cancer Coalition of the Philippines.
According the World Health Organization (WHO), incidence of cancer is projected to increase by as much as 80% by 2030 in low resource countries like the Philippines. This will have a staggering effect on the ability and resiliency of the Philippine health system as well as its overall economy.
Based on the latest data from the Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates (PCS-DOH-PCHRD) which showed an alarming increase in the incidence of cancer translating to 11 new cases and 7 deaths every hour for adult cancers, and around 11 new cases and 8 deaths per day for childhood cancer. More remain unreported.
Globally, cancer is now the second leading cause of death, with approximately 70% of deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries like the Philippines.
With almost 110,000 new cancer cases per year and over 66,000 cancer deaths per year, we respectfully call on our legislators to act with urgency to address this catastrophic disease now affecting millions of Filipinos and their families.
We respectfully appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as urgent the National Integrated Cancer Control Bill.
PASS THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED CANCER CONTROL ACT