Lacuna: Cancer center to ease treatment cost, burden of patients

MANILA – The first cancer center of the country's capital city would greatly ease the burden of patients as it would provide them with free treatment, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna said Tuesday.

During the groundbreaking rites for the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez Cancer Center at the Ospital ng Maynila (OM) compound, Lacuna said the majority of those who avail of health services from the city government are cancer patients.

"Ang pinakamahirap ay ang kakulangan ng publikong pasilidad na naka-focus sa (The most difficult challenge is the lack of public facilities focusing on [cancer]) treatment and care. The cost of treatment costs from P120,000 to P1 million or more, obviously such an expense (is) beyond the reach of ordinary people," Lacuna said in her speech.

The five-story facility, named after the father of House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, will have 38 beds and will be equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology, including a linear accelerator, spect gamma camera with treadmill machine, and CT scan.

Currently, the mayor said, many cancer patients are enduring long queues to avail of affordable treatment at the Philippine General Hospital and the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center.

Once finished, Lacuna said, the facility would help serve more patients battling cancer, which she said kills 96 persons daily.

Lacuna, meanwhile, thanked Romualdez, who pledged to allot enough funds for the facility.

He also thanked House Appropriations Committee chair Rep. Elizaldy Co for allotting P500 million for the OM and the Sta. Ana Hospital under the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients program.

Meanwhile, Romualdez said the construction of the facility is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s legacy health care projects.

"The President's vision is clear: no Filipino should have to choose between their health and their livelihood. The establishment of cancer centers, like the one we inaugurated, is a testament to President Marcos' commitment to this cause," he added.

The project's groundbreaking is part of the celebration of Manila's 453rd founding anniversary. (PNA)