Senate Bill (SB) 1850, principally sponsored by. Sen. JV Ejercito, Sen. Sonny Angara, Sen. Nancy Binay and Sen. Loren Legarda, known as the “National Integrated Cancer Control Act,” was swiftly passed by the Senate unanimously voting 18-0. It’s counterpart in the House of Representative, House Bill 8636 has, likewise, been approved on third and final reading, with a unanimous vote of 198-0-0.
Both bills seek to create a National Integrated Cancer Control Program that would serve as a framework for all cancer-related activities of the government. The program shall have the following objectives:
a. Decrease the overall mortality and impact of all adult and childhood cancer;
b. Lessen the incidence of preventable cancer in adults and children;
c. Prevent cancer recurrence and secondary cancer among survivors and people living with cancer;
d. Provide timely access to optimal cancer treatment and care for all cancer patients;
e. Make cancer treatment and care more affordable and accessible;
f. Improve the experience of cancer treatment and care of patients and families;
g. Support the recovery and reintegration to society of cancer survivors; and
h. Eliminate various forms of burden on patients, people living with cancer, survivors and their families (Section 4, SB 1850).
Likewise, there shall be an established Philippine Cancer Center under the control and supervision of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). The center shall have the following purpose and objectives:
a. To provide for accommodation, facilities and medical treatment of patients suffering from cancer, subject to the rules and regulations of the UP-PGH;
b. To promote, encourage and engage in scientific researches on the prevention of cancer, and the care and treatment of cancer patients and related activities;
c. To stimulate and underwrite scientific researches on the biological, demographic, social, economic, physiological aspects of cancer, its abnormalities and control; and gather, compile, and publish the findings of such researches for public dissemination;
d. To encourage and undertake the training of physicians, nurses, medical technicians, health officers and social workers on the practical and scientific conduct and implementation of cancer health-care services, and related activities; and
e. To assist universities, hospitals, and research institutions in their studies of cellular anomalies, to encourage advanced training on matters of, or affecting the human cell, and related fields and to support educational programs of value to general health (Section 10, SB 1850).
A recommendatory body for policy matters, technical guidance and support and oversee functions called the National Integrated Cancer Control Advisory Council (“Council”) is created. The Secretary of Health, in coordination with the Council, shall develop standards to classify, accredit and designate Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Specialty Cancer Centers, Regional Cancer Centers and Cancer satellites or stand-alone clinics. The network of cancer-care centers that is easily accessible to patients shall be established strategically in the country. The required diagnostic, therapeutic, research capacities and facilities, technical, operational and personnel standards of these centers shall be defined in the implementing rules and regulations of this law. If necessary, the use of public-private partnership shall be allowed on the procurement of cancer-care infrastructure and services to hasten delivery of essential oncological services and promote efficiency on fiscal utilization for cancer programs and projects (Section 11, SB 1850).
The Department of Health (DOH) and other concerned government agencies shall implement reforms supporting early access to essential medicines, innovative medicines and health technologies, to ensure improved survivorship and better health outcomes among people with cancer. The reforms include facilitating quick access to drugs for compassionate use and developing a more responsive system for effectively addressing emergency cases (Section 23, SB 1850).
It shall, likewise, ensure sufficient supply of medicines for palliative care and pain management that are available at affordable prices. Further, the DOH shall formulate a monitoring system to check that pain medications are safe and administered in correct dosages (Section 24, SB 1850).
Cancer patients, persons living with cancer and cancer survivors are considered as persons with disabilities in accordance with Republic Act 7277, as amended, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.” The cancer patients, persons living with cancer and cancer survivors are accorded the same rights and privileges as PWDs and the Department of Social Welfare and Development shall ensure that their social welfare and benefits provided under RA 7277, as amended, are granted to them. Further, the Department of Labor and Employment shall adopt programs that promote work and employment opportunities for able persons with cancer and cancer survivors. The appropriate government agencies shall ensure that people living with cancer and cancer survivors are free from any form of discrimination in school, workplace and community (Section 25-27, SB 1850).
The bills also call for the establishment of the Cancer Assistance Fund to support the cancer treatment and assistance program. The fund will ensure a steady supply of cancer drugs and cancer control related vaccines to patients (Section 20, SB 1850).
The DOH said there are an estimated eight deaths per day for child cancer and up to 11 new cases and seven deaths per hour for adult cancer. This translates to almost 110,000 new cancer cases and over 66,000 cancer deaths every year (Rappler.com). Data from the World Health Organization reveal approximately 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million deaths for 2018 (The PhilStar, November 15, 2018).
On a personal level, I laud the passage of this comprehensive cancer legislation. I lost my husband in 2001 to colon cancer and felt like it was the end of my world. Until two years later, in 2003, I lost my youngest of five sons, then eight years old, to leukemia. I felt like ending my life.
With the passage of this “National Integrated Cancer Control Act,” there is now guarded optimism and hope for cancer patients, survivors and their families that it will be a better world for them.
Hope springs eternal!