The Marcos administration allocated more than P2 billion for the implementation of Cancer Control Program and Cancer Assistance Fund under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Friday.
“This government, under the leadership of President BBM, is advocating for healthier communities and lifestyles. Cancer is one of the most dreaded disease of Filipinos so we will continue to allocate funding to avoid it and help care for and help in the recovery of patients who are fighting against it,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement.
Under the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases program of the Department of Health (DOH), the government appropriated P1.02 billion for the implementation of Cancer Control Program.
The amount will be used to cover the cost of cancer prevention, detection, treatment and care as components of the established National Integrated Cancer Control Program pursuant to Republic Act No. 11215 and its implementing rules and regulations.
The budget will be used exclusively for the procurement and delivery of cancer medicines, supportive care and palliative care medicines covering eight treatable cancer types.
The DBM said that on top of the Cancer Control Program, a total of P1.25 billion would go to the Cancer Assistance Fund.
Special Provision of the 2024 GAA states that the fund should be used for cancer prevention, screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and its care-related components, including the needed diagnostics and laboratories for the eight focus cancer types for cancer patients, persons living with cancer, cancer survivors, and high-risk individuals.