AGGRESSIVE ACTION VS CANCER
CITING cancer as the second leading cause of death in the Philippines, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the “Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center” of the OFW Hospital in Pampanga on Tuesday.
In his speech, the President highlighted the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing that cancer ranked as the second leading cause of death in the country from January to May this year.
He said the data prompted the government to take a more aggressive action.
“Aggressive as this terrible disease is, we need to be as equally aggressive in providing treatment for our patients – giving them hope, providing them with care, making them feel right at home, at the time they needed it most,” President Marcos said.
“This is why the hospital’s second floor will be dedicated to the Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center. While this vision is clear, we acknowledge that much work remains to ensure that this facility would be equipped to serve those in need,” he added.
The Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center will address the increasing demand for cancer treatment and the limited capacity of the OFW Hospital. It will function as both an outpatient department and a cancer treatment facility.
Since the inauguration of the OFW Hospital in 2022, President Marcos emphasized its daily outpatient capacity already exceeded 160 patients, with vital areas like the reception and admitting sections repurposed as triage zones.
The new cancer care center is expected to accommodate 64 patients and will provide various treatment modalities, including chemotherapy, diagnostic and staging services, and surgical oncology, among others.
Construction of the facility is set to begin in January 2025 and is expected to be completed by November 2025. It’s targeted to become operational in the first quarter of 2026, following the acquisition of necessary permits and licenses from the Department of Health (DOH).
President Marcos also paid tribute to the late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople, acknowledging his tireless dedication to the welfare of OFWs.
He said that her legacy continues to guide the Filipinos and reminds the public to approach every patient with compassion and care.
“Sa aming minamahal na OFWs, ang karagdagang pasilidad na ito ay para po sa inyo, sa inyong pamilya. Hindi naman natin hinahangad na magamit ninyo ito, ngunit mas makakahinga tayo [nang maluwag] kung alam natin na may matatakbuhan na ospital ang ating mga OFWs sa oras ng inyong pangangailangan,” the President said.
During his speech, President Marcos expressed his gratitude to the DOH for making the project a reality through its Health Facility Enhancement Program. The President also noted there are already two existing cancer centers in the Philippines: the UP-PGHl Cancer Center in Manila and the Philippine Cancer Center in Quezon City. PCO
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