Senator Bong Go reaffirmed his ongoing efforts to make breast cancer treatments more accessible for all Filipinos, especially those in underserved areas.
“Marami po sa mga mahihirap na pamilya ang hirap sa pagpapagamot ng cancer, kabilang na ang breast cancer. Kaya dapat lang na magtulungan ang pamahalaan, pribadong sektor, at lahat sa lipunan para masiguro na ang mga pasyente ay may access sa cancer treatment,” Go said.
Through the years, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health has consistently advocated for increased funding for the Cancer Assistance Fund, highlighting its vital role in easing the financial burdens faced by patients and families.
“Ang pagpapalakas sa Cancer Assistance Fund at ang pagpapabuti sa PhilHealth ay para matiyak na mas maraming pamilya ang makakakumpleto ng kanilang treatment.”
“Marami sa mga pasyente ang hirap kumpletohin ang gamutan dahil sa mataas na gastusin. Kaya ang pagpapalakas sa Cancer Assistance Fund at ang pagpapabuti sa PhilHealth ay para matiyak na mas maraming pamilya ang makakakumpleto ng kanilang treatment, lalo na po yung mga mahihirap na pasyente,” the veteran legislator emphasized.
The seasoned lawmaker also served as the principal sponsor and one of the authors of Republic Act No. 11959 (RA 11959), or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. This measure aims to establish specialty centers within existing Department of Health (DOH) regional hospitals — including those focusing on cancer care — so patients no longer have to travel long distances for quality medical attention.
“Marami sa mga pasyente ang napipilitang bumiyahe nang malayo para lang makapagpagamot sa mga ospital sa siyudad. Kaya isinusulong natin ang Regional Specialty Centers para ‘di na kailangan pang lumuwas sa malalayong lugar para sa dekalidad na specialized care,” the senator noted.
In line with these efforts, he has long pressed for improvements in the benefits offered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), understanding how vital this support is for patients grappling with serious illnesses.
Following numerous appeals from Go, PhilHealth committed to introducing an expanded range of benefit packages addressing the country’s top mortality illnesses.
These now cover treatments like chemotherapy for cancer patients, therapy for severe cardiac conditions, and a range of diagnostic services, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. The benefits have also been extended to medical transportation services and critical assistive devices such as wheelchairs and crutches.
“Importante sa akin na kahit sino, kahit saan sa bansa, ay magkaroon ng access sa tamang paggamot sa tamang oras.”
“Importante sa akin na kahit sino, kahit saan sa bansa, ay magkaroon ng access sa tamang paggamot sa tamang oras. Kaya paulit-ulit kong iginiit sa PhilHealth na palakasin ang coverage para sa mga pangunahing sakit sa bansa, lalo na ang cancer,” he stressed.
These priorities were reaffirmed recently during a luncheon meeting organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the Embassy of Switzerland, in partnership with Roche (Philippines) Inc. The gathering brought together patient advocates, medical experts, and representatives from both the private and public sectors.
All agreed that organized screening, early detection, and patient-centric care must be prioritized to save more lives, especially as breast cancer mortality is projected to rise by over 40 percent by 2030.
With the World Health Organization’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative calling for a 2.5 percent annual reduction in breast cancer mortality until 2040, Go emphasized the need for collective action across sectors.
“Magtulungan lang tayong lahat para masiguro na sa laban kontra sa cancer, ang pasyenteng Pilipino ay hindi mapapabayaan,” he concluded.
