Pampanga First District Congressman Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. recently filed House Bill No. 5702, which seeks to include mammography services in public hospitals and examinations for breast cancer in rural health centers.
HB 5702 mandates the provision of mammography services, either annually or as medically necessary, in qualified public hospitals, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH).
It also includes that regular monthly breast examinations be provided by qualified medical practitioners assigned to every rural health center.
Under HB 5702, breast cancer information and educational materials shall be posted in all primary health care facilities to promote awareness and preventive health education.
The lawmaker said that breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer affecting women.
Based on data from DOH, there were 33,079 cases of breast cancer in the Philippines in 2024, he added.
The 2020 GLOBOCAN report cites a study that outlined the high incidence of breast cancer among women aged 40 years and below in the Philippines compared to other Asian countries.
Despite existing breast cancer awareness campaigns, Lazatin said a significant number of reported cases are only diagnosed at an advanced stage.
A major contributing factor is the lack of accessible healthcare facilities that provide early detection services and the high cost of treatment.
“With this bill, we hope to provide a more accessible avenue to avail of regular breast cancer examinations that could contribute to early detection and an increased chanced of survival,” Lazatin said.
“We hope to give women, especially those from marginalized sectors, improved access to preventive healthcare services that enable early detection and timely treatment of breast cancer,” he added.