SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez yesterday said the construction of the Philippine Cancer Center could prevent the death of thousands of Filipinos due to the disease.

Leading the groundbreaking for the Cancer Center, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wants to provide Filipinos with comprehensive, affordable and accessible healthcare.

“Ito po ang misyon ng Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Ito ang misyon na pinagtutulungan nating bigyan ng buhay ngayong araw,” he told the crowd.

Lawmakers and government officials led by House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list, and Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, local executives, and other lawmakers.

The House of Representatives, through Co’s panel, allocated the budget for the Cancer Center’s fixed assets and critical services as part of the mandate of Republic Act (RA) No. 11215 and the Resource Stratified Framework set by the National Integrated Cancer Control Council.

Speaker Romualdez said cancer remains as the second leading cause of death among Filipinos.

“Each year, thousands are diagnosed, and even more are left to battle without adequate support. This center is our response – to not only decrease mortality and morbidity but to also lessen the incidence of preventable cancers,” he said.

“Our aim is to transform cancer from a death sentence into a manageable condition that, when detected and treated early, can be overcome. We want to ensure strategic alignment with national cancer control plans, make treatment more equitable, affordable, and accessible, and improve the overall experience of cancer care for patients and their families,” he said.

From friends and constituents, he said he knows the suffering cancer patients and their families go through.

The Speaker pointed out that he is also aware of the high cost of hospitalization and treatment.

He said the Cancer Center “will be a sanctuary for healing and hope.”

Speaker Romualdez said the specialty cancer hospital would be “a testament to our collective resolve against cancer.”

“This center is designed to be more than just a hospital. It is envisioned as a comprehensive sanctuary for diagnosis, treatment, research, and patient support – all under one roof. Our goal is to redefine cancer treatment in the Philippines, integrating the latest medical advancements and fostering collaboration among specialists to provide a world-class environment for our patients,” he said.

He revealed that the center would also include housing facilities for relatives of cancer patients who are caring for them, and for doctors in the provinces who undergo training in the cancel hospital.

To be built on a 5,000-square-meter lot inside the Blood Bank Complex in Quezon City, the Philippine Cancer Center is envisioned to be a modern teaching and research hospital, with each floor focusing on different types of cancers: hepatic, renal, gastrointestinal, lung, breast, women reproductive organs, skin, and even rare cancers. It will be comprehensive – from diagnosis, treatment, research, and patient support.

The Cancer Center will be a 20-story, cutting-edge facility. It will complete the medical complex built during the first Marcos administration, where specialty hospitals are close to each other: the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, the Philippine Heart Center, the Lung Center, and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.

The hospitals are all located along East Avenue and Quezon Avenue near Quezon City Memorial Circle and City Hall. Another government hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, is also in that area.

Other officials and lawmakers who attended the ground breaking ceremony include Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, a former health secretary; Quezon City Reps. Marvin Rillo, Ralph Tulfo, and Franz Pumaren, Vice Mayor Gian Carlo Sotto, Health Assistant Secretary Ariel Valencia, Philhealth Corp. president Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., Philippine Cancer Center interim Executive Director Alfonso Nuñez lll, and Menchie Auste-Sarmiento of Cancer Warriors Foundation, Inc.