MANILA — A state-of-the-art, 20-story Philippine Cancer Center is soon to rise in Quezon City. It will serve as a hub for cancer diagnosis, treatment, research, and patient support.

Aside from offering a world-class cancer facility, House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin highlighted that the PCC will at the same time, accommodate doctors undergoing training.

It will also provide temporary accommodation for the relatives of cancer patients undergoing treatments.

Garin explained that the facility will offer specialized training for doctors, particularly those from the provinces.

“With this project, firstly, doctors from the provinces who aspire to become cancer specialists can travel here for training. And of course, after completing their training, they can return to their respective hometowns or provinces to serve,” the former health secretary stated.

“We have many talented doctors, but due to financial constraints, they often cannot undergo proper training. With this initiative, when you undergo training, you will have free housing, ensuring full support from the government,” added Garin, who also serves as the Vice Chairperson on the Committee on Appropriations.

Garin further mentioned that cancer patients from the provinces will no longer need to travel back and forth as temporary free housing will be provided for both patients and their relatives within the PCC premises.

“The beneficiaries will be the patients… This includes a halfway house for cancer patients while undergoing treatment,” Garin emphasized.

On March 8, House Speaker Martin Romualdez led the groundbreaking ceremony for the 20-story PCC in Quezon City, which will serve as a hub for cancer diagnosis, treatment, research, and patient support. He noted the administration’s aim to “transform cancer from a death sentence into a manageable condition that, when detected and treated early, can be overcome.”

According to the National Nutrition Council (NNC), in 2018, there were 141,021 reported cases of cancer with a total of 86,337 cancer-related deaths in the country. Among the top 10 most common cancers are breast, cervix uteri, colorectum, corpus uteri, leukemia, liver, lung, ovary, prostate, and thyroid cancer.

Garin stressed that cancer can now be effectively treated given the presence of adequate facilities, treatment modalities, and cancer specialists in the country.

“The truth is, cancer has evolved into a chronic illness. This means that nowadays, with the availability of facilities, specialists, and treatment modalities, patients can truly survive cancer,” the lawmaker concluded.