MANILA, Philippines — Two opposition lawmakers have lauded the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for allocating funding of P529.2 million for cancer patients in the Department of Health (DOH)’s 2023 budget.
Reps. Paul Daza of Northern Samar and Bernadette Herrera of party-list Bagong Henerasyon thanked the DBM and DOH for resolving to allocate the cancer fund, which was initially excluded from the proposed budget of the health department.
“Free cancer and healthcare treatments in the Philippines have become a closer possibility,” Daza said, after Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman announced the joint memorandum circular with the DOH,
which ensures the availability of financial assistance to cancer patients.
“I hope this spirit of cooperation continues and we keep the ball rolling toward affordable and free treatment of this disease and others. We must never let our fellow Filipinos feel alone in the fight against cancer,” Daza said.
Herrera also acknowledged that “with this funding, the government can now provide life-saving support to cancer patients and their families who are facing financial challenges, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We will do everything to make sure that the cancer assistance funding will be included in the final version of the 2023 national budget,” she added.
Prior to the DBM-DOH joint memorandum, budget earmarks for the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) were missing from the 2023 National Expenditure Program.
“The return of the CAF is a good momentum for the development of more policies that can widen the scope of the Cancer Control Act and the Universal Healthcare Act,” Daza said.
He lauded both Pangandaman and DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“They both deserve praise for acting quickly on our call to have the cancer assistance fund ready for implementation,” he said.
During previous deliberations on the DOH budget, Daza pushed for the immediate release and utilization of the P529.2-million CAF in the 2022 national budget.