THE government is proposing a record ₱3.75 billion for the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) in 2027 to help more Filipinos access essential cancer services, House Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan said Sunday.
The proposed allocation under the 2027 National Expenditure Program is 150% higher than the ₱1.5 billion appropriated for the fund this year, according to Libanan, a representative of the 4Ps party-list.
Libanan said the increased funding aims to expand access to cancer screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and other essential medical services through Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals and health facilities nationwide.
“As members of Congress, it is our duty not only to scrutinize how public funds are allocated, but also to inform the people where their money is going, especially when it comes to programs that directly affect their health and welfare,” he said.
He added that the fund could help ease the financial burden of cancer treatment on Filipino families, many of whom struggle to meet the high cost of medical care.
“Cancer is not just a health issue. It also imposes a tremendous financial and social burden on Filipino families,” Libanan said, stressing that a cancer diagnosis should not force families to choose between life-saving treatment and basic necessities.
The proposed CAF allocation is separate from the ₱1.31 billion earmarked for the Cancer Control Program in 2027.
In June, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that 70,668 Filipinos died from neoplasms, or cancers, in 2025, making the disease the country’s second-leading cause of death after ischemic heart disease.
The figure translates to about 194 cancer-related deaths daily, accounting for 11.4% of all recorded deaths nationwide that year.
The Philippine Cancer Society also reported earlier this year that more than 150,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in the country annually.
The government’s priority cancer programs cover breast cancer, childhood cancers, gynecologic cancers, liver and other digestive-tract cancers, including colorectal cancer; head and neck cancers, including thyroid cancer; lung cancer; and prostate, kidney and urinary bladder cancers.
A lawyer and medical technology graduate, Libanan has also backed proposed legislation seeking to establish a centralized patient record system and at least one DOH-run hospital in every province to improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
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