Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero led the groundbreaking of the province’s first cancer treatment center, as part of his personal commitment to provide better and quality medical and health services to Sorsoganons when he became governor three years ago.
The Php49.5-million Sorsogon Cancer Treatment Center is the second cancer facility in the entire Bicol region to provide medical care and treatment for patients of cancer, the fourth leading cause of death in the Philippines in 2021 and the second in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Ang cancer center na ito na pinapangarap ko sa ating lalawigan noon ay maisasakatuparan na rin sa ating pagtutulung-tulungan. When I ran for governor, giving the Sorsoganons world class health facilities and services was on top of my mind,” Escudero, who is seeking a fresh six-year term in the Senate, said during the groundbreaking recently.
“Kaya naman ating pinagsikapan na makamit ang lahat ng ito, lalo na ang mga ISO (International Standardization for Organization) certification sa ating siyam na mga public hospitals at pati na ang buong lalawigan,” the veteran lawmaker added.
Escudero, who is in the remaining three months of his three-year gubernatorial term, said that once the center is completed, the people of Sorsogon will no longer have to travel to the nearby cancer center in Naga City or to Manila for radiation and other cancer-related treatments.
“For the longest time, our patients needing radiation treatments will have to be referred to other provinces or in Manila. With this center, our patients will not have to leave the province just to avail the said services,” he said.
The treatment center is also envisioned to service cancer patients from nearby provinces such as Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate and Albay.
Escudero thanked his team at the provincial government, officials and employees of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and Sorsogon Provincial Hospital, where the cancer center will be constructed, for their commitment and dedication in giving the people the best health services, even at the risk of their own lives at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
In his message, Dr. Renato Bolo, the province’s acting health officer, expressed his gratitude to Escudero for implementing many pioneering health-related projects in the province in less than three years.
“Katulad po ninyo, ang cancer center dito sa probinsya ay isang pangarap sa akin at sa mga bumubuo ng PHO. We are thankful that through your leadership, this will soon become a reality,” Bolo remarked.
Meanwhile, Dr. Roberto Chacon, supervising chief of hospitals in the province and Medicare, said in an interview that the Sorsogon Cancer Treatment Center will serve as the referral/apex hospital of the nine government hospitals in the province. Phase 1 of the cancer center will provide radiation services and outpatient clinics, while Phase 2 will offer chemotherapy services.
“Ang cancer center ay mayroong Linear Accelerator, Brachytherapy at CT Scan. Ang Linear Accelerator nito ay ang pinakabagong modelo na unang ilalabas sa buong Pilipinas. Taglay nito ang bagong features na mas makakapagbigay ng iba’t ibang radiation treatment at features na angkop para mas ‘user friendly’ at accessible sa espesiyalista ang paggamit ng makina kahit nasa ibang lugar siya (remote access),” Chacon explained.
“Ang brachytherapy naman ay radiation treatment na kadalasan na ginagamit para sa mga gynecologic cancers o cancer sa mga kababaihan. Ang CT scan ang siyang gagamitin para sa preparasyon at planning bago gawin ang radiation sa pasyente. Ang equipment at operations nito ay manggagaling sa pribadong outsourced provider or proponent,” he added.
Chacon also said the Php49.5 million budget, which will be used for the construction of the building alone, was funded by the Department of Health’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP). Completion of the construction and full operation of phase one is targeted in June 2022.
According to the Global Cancer Observatory, there were 153,751 new cancer cases in the Philippines in 2020, with 86,484 or 56% occurring among women. Cancer of the breast, lung, colon, liver, prostate, cervix uteri, thyroid, rectum, leukemia and ovary were identified as the most common types of cancer among Filipinos.
The DOH, citing 2018 global data, said more than 140,000 new cancer cases and 80,000 cancer deaths are expected annually, which translates to at least 219 Filipinos dying from cancer every day. Of the projected new cases, at least 4,000 will be among children.