PHILIPPINE CANCER CONTROL PROGRAM

Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new
cases and 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012 (WHO). More than 60% of world’s total new annual cases occur
in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. These regions account for 70% of the world’s cancer
deaths (WHO). It is expected that annual cancer cases will rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22 within the next 2
decades (WHO).

Cancer is one of the four epidemic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or lifestyle-related

diseases (LRDs) which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic
respiratory diseases. According to Dr. Antonio Miguel Dans in his paper “Introduction to Non-
Communicable Diseases” in August 2014, the NCDs are now considered a “silent disaster” of
massive proportion that is ravaging the Filipino population, killing 300,000 victims a year, 800
every day, and 33 every hour. Its toll on lives is likened to “two 747 planes packed with
passengers crashing every day”. Those NCDs share common risk factors, such as tobacco use,
unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and the harmful use of alcohol.

Cancer remains a national health priority in the country with significant implications for
individuals, families, communities, and the health system. Cancer is the third leading cause of
morbidity and mortality in the country after diseases of the heart and the vascular
system (Philippine Health Statistics 2009). Among Filipino men, the 6 most common sites of
cancer diagnosed in 2010 (Globocan) were lung, liver, colon/rectum, prostate, stomach, and
leukemia. Among Filipino women the 6 most common sites diagnosed were breast, cervix, lung,
colon/rectum, ovary and liver. Furthermore, 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with
cancer while four Filipinos die of cancer every hour or 96 cancer patients every day, according to
a study conducted by the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics, National
Institutes of Health.

In response to this growing and alarming epidemic of cancer, there is a need to revisit and
strengthen the Philippine Cancer Control Program which started in 1990 through Administrative
Order No. 89-A s. 1990, amending A.O. No. 188-A s. 1973. Hence, the National Cancer Control
Committee (NCCC) developed the National Cancer Prevention and Control Action Plan
(NCPCAP) 2015-2020.

The National Cancer Prevention and Control Action Plan 2015-2020 shall cover the following
key areas of concern:

1. Policy and Standards Development

 a. Development of “National Policy on the Integration of Palliative and Hospice Care
into the Philippine Health Care System”
b. Development and Operationalization of National Cancer Prevention and Control
Website and Social Media Sites
c. Development of “Comprehensive National Policy on Cancer Prevention and Control”
d. Establishment of National Cancer Center and Strategic Satellite Cancer Centers
e. Expansion of PhilHealth Z Benefit Package Coverage to Other Cancers
o PhilHealth Z-Benefit Package for catastrophic diseases (breast, prostate,
cervical cancers and childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia) is an in-patient
package which includes mandatory diagnostics, operating room expenses,
doctor/professional fees, room and board, and medicines.

2.) Advocacy and Promotions

a. Cancer Awareness Campaigns

1. National Cancer Consciousness Week

2. Colon and Rectal Cancer Awareness Month
3. Cancer in Children Awareness Month

4. Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

5. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

6. Lung Cancer Awareness Month

7. Liver Cancer Awareness Month

8. Breast Cancer Awareness Month

9. Cancer Pain Awareness Month

b. Partnership with DepEd, CHED, DOLE-Bureau of Working Conditions, and Civil

Service Commission

3.) Capacity Building and Resource Mobilization

a. Training of Trainers on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control

b. Training of Trainers on Palliative and Hospice Care
o Palliative and hospice care has been the missing link in our health care
delivery system. Our Universal Health Care or Kalusugan
Pangkalahatanwould not be complete without integrating palliative and
hospice care into the existing promotive–preventive–curative-rehabilitative
 continuum of care. It is therefore imperative to institutionalize and
integrate palliative and hospice care both in the hospitals or health facilities
and in community or home-based level.
c. Training of Trainers on Patient Navigation Program
o Patient Navigation Program / Medicine Access Program: It provides
chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer and acute lymphocytic
leukemia and other diagnostic standard procedures for eligible patients at
no cost. This project involves seven (7) government hospitals, namely:
Philippine General Hospital, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, East
Avenue Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez
Memorial Medical Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Bicol
Regional Training and Teaching Hospital.

4.) Service Delivery

a. Availability of Free Cervical Cancer Screening in all trained RHUs

b. Availability of cryotherapy equipment in every province (81 provinces)
c. Availability and accessibility of screenings for selected cancers in all trained RHUs
d. School-based HPV vaccination of 9 to 13-year-old females
e. Hepatitis B vaccination for all health workers nationwide

5.) Information Management and Surveillance

a. Establishment of National Cancer Registry (hospital- and population-based)

b. Development and Operationalization of Cancer Helpline (including Telemedicine)

6.) Research and Development

a. Establishment of National Research and Development Program for Cancer Control

b. Research: Study on the Socio-Economic Burden and Impact Assessment of Cancer in
the Philippines
c. Determination of Cancer Incidence in the Philippines 2008-2013

VISION Comprehensive Cancer Care and Optimized Cancer Survival in 2025

To reduce the impact of cancer and improve the wellbeing of Filipino people with cancer
MISSION
and their families

OBJECTIVES / GOALS 1. To reduce premature mortality from cancer by 25% in 2025

 2. To ensure relative reduction of the following risk factors for cancer:

a) 10% harmful use of alcohol

b) 10% physical inactivity

c) 30% tobacco use

3. To guarantee the availability of the following services for selected population:

a) Selected cancer screening

b) Human Papilloma Virus and Hepatitis B vaccination

c) Access to palliative care

d) Drug therapy and counseling

NATIONAL CANCER CONTROL COMMITTEE

MEMBERS OFFICE / AGENCY / ORGANIZATION

Undersecretary (Chair) DOH – Office for Technical Services

Director IV (Co-Chair) Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB)

Director IV Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service (KMITS)

Director IV Epidemiology Bureau (EpiB)

Senior Vice President PhilHealth – Health Finance Policy Sector

Chairman UP-PGH Cancer Institute

Executive Director Philippine Cancer Society Inc. (PCSI)

OIC-Director Health Promotion and Communications Service (HPCS)

Chief Lifestyle-Related Disease Division (LRDD)

 Program Manager Lifestyle-Related Disease Division (LRDD)

ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF NATIONAL CANCER CONTROL COMMITTEE

1. Set the roadmap of National Cancer Prevention and Control Program (NCPCP)
2. Plan, establish and implement policies, guidelines and standards throughout the
continuum of holistic health care (preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative
and palliative)
3. Advise / recommend upgrading of existing cancer management facilities in the
country
4. Coordinating body for all cancer works in the country
5. Ensure the implementation of NCPCP down to the grassroots level
6. Establish and carry out an effective nationwide cancer education program /
dissemination
7. Provide technical and financial support on cancer prevention, early detection,
treatment and palliative care
8. Establish and carry out effective training program
9. Ensure the collection and analysis of data from registry and surveillance
10. Implement, monitor and evaluate the NCPCP regularly through implementation
review and impact evaluation
11. Empower and engage all the stakeholders to actively work on and participate in on
various areas of NCPCP
12. Endorse support for researchers in the clinical, epidemiological, public health and
knowledge management areas and in collaboration with international institutes
13. Others that may be identified and approved by the Secretary of Health

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANCER CONTROL COMMITTEE

EXPERTS GROUP
 CANCER SITE ORGANIZATION
· Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS)

· Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO)

· Philippine Radiation Oncology Society (PROS)

Breast
· Philippine Society of Pathologists (PSP)

· Philippine College of Radiology (PCR)

· Philippine Breast Cancer Society (PBCS)

· Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP)
Lung
· PCS, PSMO, PROS, PSP, PCR
· Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of the Philippines (SGOP)
Cervical
· PROS, PSP, PCR
· Philippine Society of Colorectal Surgeons (PSCS)

· Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG)

Colorectal
· Philippine Society of Digestive Endoscopy (PSDE)

· PROS, PSP, PSMO, PCR

· Philippine Society of Urologic Oncologists, Inc.
Prostate
· PSMO, PROS, PCR, PSP
· Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion PSHBT)
Adult Leukemia
· PSP, PCR
· Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP)
Liver
· PCS, PSMO, PSP, PCR
· Philippine Society of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. (PSO-HNS)
Head and Neck
· PCS, PSMO, PROS, PSP, PCR
· Philippine Thyroid Council (PTC)
Thyroid
· PCS, PSMO, PSP, PCR
Other Sites (Adult) · PCS, PSMO, PROS, PSP, PCR
· Philippine Society of Pediatric Oncology (PSPO)

· Philippine Society of Pediatric Hematology (PSPH)

Other Sites (Pediatric)
· Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC)

· PCR, PCS
 SUBCOMMITTEES OF NATIONAL CANCER CONTROL COMMITTEE

SUBCOMMITTEES MEMBERS
· Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB)

· Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau (HPDPB)

· Health Facility and Development Bureau (HFDB)

· Health Facility and Services Bureau (HFSB)

Policy and Standards Development
· Pharmaceutical Division (PD)

· National Ethics Committee (NEC)

· PhilHealth (Standards and Monitoring / Accreditation)

· PCMC, PCSI, Hospice Philippines (HP), KMITS

· UP-PGH Cancer Institute

· DOST – Philippine Council on Health Research and Development (PCHRD)

Research and Development
· PhilHealth (Corporate Planning / Benefits Development and Research)

· PCSI, HP, HPDPB, NEC, DPCB

· Epidemiology Bureau (EpiB), KMITS

Information Management and Surveillance · Bureau of Local Health Systems Development (BLHSD)

· DPCB, PCSI, PCMC

· HPCS

Advocacy and Promotions · Philippine Information Agency (PIA), DPCB, PCSI, HP

· Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

 · PCSI

· Philippine Oncology Nurses Association (PONA)

Service Delivery · Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)

· PALCARE

· BLHSD, DPCB, PCMC, UP-PGH CI, HFDB

· DPCB

· Health Human Resource Development Bureau (HHRDB)

· PhilHealth, PD, HFDB, HP, PONA, PNA, BHFS, PCSI

Capacity Building and Resource Mobilization
· Finance Service

· Materials Management Division (MMD)

· Bureau of International Health Cooperation (BIHC)