(Photo credit: Philippine Society of Medical Oncology)
CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) --In the Philippines, 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are affected by cancer, with four Filipinos dying of cancer every hour or 96 cancer patients every day according to a study undertaken by the University of the Philippines' Institute of Human Genetics, National Institutes of Health.
The cancer treatment price can range from Php 120,000 to as much as Php 1 million pesos or more. Note that some cancers may only involve surgeries while others may require lengthy treatment options.
For most, if not for all cancer patients, the news on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) releasing the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2022 - 0002 prescribing the Implementing Guidelines for the Use of Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) amounting to P529.2 million is heaven sent.
The provision of P529.2 million is anchored on Special Provisions (SP) No. 13 of the DOH budget under the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which requires, among others, the issuance of the JMC as a pre-requisite for the utilization of the fund. This is pursuant to Republic Act No. 11215 or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, which seeks to provide an integrated and holistic support to cancer treatment and management.
“Malaking tulong po para sa ating mga kababayan itong nakalaang pondo for cancer assistance na maaari na pong magamit sa mga DOH hospital access sites at iba pang health facilities sa bansa. We hope that it will ease the burden of many cancer patients, as we know that cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality amongst Filipinos," DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
CAF aims to complement and supplement existing financial support mechanisms exclusive for cancer patients, persons living with cancer, and cancer survivors.
Pursuant to the JMC, which was released on 28 September 2022, the CAF shall likewise fund outpatient and inpatient cancer control services, including but not limited to diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, and other cancer medicines needed for the treatment and management of cancer and its care-related components.
The said fund shall be available for utilization until December 31, 2023 in line with the adoption of the cash-based budgeting system and subject to applicable general and special provisions under the FY 2022 GAA and other existing budgetary guidelines issued by the DBM.
The JMC shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. (DBM/PIA-NCR
