THE University of Cebu Medical Center (UCMed) became the first Level 3 Apex private hospital in Cebu City to offer free cancer screenings in collaboration with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) at its Kalusugan Center on Monday, September 29, 2025.
PhilHealth accredited the facility center for its "Yaman ng Kalusugan Program" (Yakap) that provides accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare to every community.
Registered PhilHealth members can register in the Yakap program via their web portal or by visiting the Kulusogan Center, which also assists in processing registrations for individuals who are not yet PhilHealth members.
The Kalusugan Center offers free screenings for breast, colon, liver, and lung cancers which are covered by PhilHealth.
PhilHealth members and their families can access consultations, basic laboratory tests including Complete Blood Count (CBC), fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, creatinine tests, and X-rays.
UCMed's medical director Dr. Armando Tan said the Kalusugan Center will function as a hub for patients to conveniently access medical consultations, screenings, and health education programs.
Tan also said PhilHealth's Yakap program will serve as the first public health initiative they adopt, with additional programs to follow, including the Gamot program, which offers an outpatient drug benefit package to ensure seamless services between the two initiatives.
UCMed's assistant medical director Nina Darcera said patients need to go through screenings before availing of the services under the Yakap program.
"You have to have a first patient encounter to avail all of these things," said Darcera.
She also noted that it is not enough to register the Yakap program, as members have a questionnaire to fill out regarding their background and health history to give the necessary tests and medication.
PhilHealth Regional Vice President Marjorie Cabrieto urged the public to visit the PhilHealth 7 Facebook page to submit their questions and inquiries regarding the Yakap program.
UCMed has assigned two doctors to the Kulusogan Center to serve 40,000 patients annually through its Yakap program.
PhilHealth's Yakap program is an expansion of its Konsulta program that aims for immediate treatment and focuses on prevention and wellness. (Bryce Ken Abellon, USJ-R intern)