MANILA — Martin Romualdez has filed a bill aiming to institutionalize annual, community-based cancer early detection programs across the Philippines.

Under House Bill No. 7942, or the “Cancer Risk Screening and Awareness Act,” initiatives will include risk profiling, barangay-level screening, and awareness campaigns in municipalities nationwide. The measure also calls for capacity development and training to enhance the role of barangay health workers in cancer prevention and early detection.

The program will initially cover breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancers. The Department of Health (DOH), upon recommendation from the National Integrated Cancer Control Council, may expand the list of covered cancers.

The bill proposes establishing city or municipal cancer registries to track prevalence trends, screening outcomes, and follow-up care, while ensuring patient confidentiality under the Data Privacy Act.

Under the measure, the DOH, in coordination with local government units and health centers, will conduct free or subsidized barangay-based screenings, prioritizing indigent and high-risk populations. A referral system to higher-level health facilities will link patients to PhilHealth benefits and other support services.

The bill also mandates the DOH to implement culturally sensitive health education campaigns on cancer prevention, early warning signs, and timely treatment. Training for barangay health workers will cover prevention, screening support, psychosocial care, referral pathways, and access to financial assistance.

“Evidence shows that early detection significantly improves survival rates while reducing overall treatment costs, making it both a life-saving and cost-effective public health strategy,” Romualdez said.

“By integrating grassroots health workers into systematic cancer risk detection and awareness efforts, the State fulfills its mandate under the Constitution to protect and promote the right to health, while complementing the objectives of Republic Act No. 11215, or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act,” said Jude Acidre