As the fight against cancer continues, cervical cancer is among the few preventable and highly curable cancers, yet it continues to claim the lives of Filipino women. Despite ongoing advances in vaccination, screening, and other treatment methods, there are still women who are unable to access healthcare services that could save their lives.
In observance of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 2026, healthcare experts, medical leaders, advocates, and media practitioners gathered on May 26 for “Together for Health: A Media Forum on Cervical Cancer Elimination” at Makati Shangri-La. Hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Pinky Webb, the forum aimed to raise awareness toward the prevention and elimination of cervical cancer in the Philippines.
A call for collective action
Opening the forum, Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) President Dr. Concepcion Rayel underscored the urgency of the country’s fight against cervical cancer, a disease primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). While this cancer is preventable, it continues to take the lives of around 12 Filipinas daily, taking a heavy toll on families and communities.
Rayel highlighted POGS’ initiatives that raise cervical cancer awareness and prevention. Among these are community education programs, webinars, modules and video clips, and the organization’s social media platform POGScast: Let’s Talk, Pinay. The program features discussions with specialists on various health topics and aims to reach women, especially those in far-flung areas.
Despite ongoing efforts and available medical resources, Dr. Rayel stressed that stronger leadership and collective action remain critical to achieving a cervical cancer-free Philippines.
Women’s health as a matter of equality
Ermelita Valdeavilla, the chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women, framed cervical cancer not only as a medical issue, but also as a gender equality issue in a pre-recorded video message.
She stressed that women’s health is closely tied to empowerment and participation in society. However, preventable diseases continue to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly those living in underserved communities. Geographic isolation and longstanding socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare continue to keep life-saving services beyond their reach, making early detection and treatment far more difficult for them.
“Eliminating cervical cancer is possible. Achieving this goal requires urgency, sustained investment, and shared responsibility,” Valdeavilla said. Dr. Ana Dy Echo, chairperson of the POGS Committee on Women’s Cancers, emphasized the preventability of the disease through statistical data, spotlighting vaccines as a protective shield against HPV’s progression into malignancy.
But not everyone is fortunate enough to access the vaccine’s powerful defense, Dr. Dy Echo stressed with dismay as she convened with the other health experts during the event’s first plenary session. Though public hospital screenings for HPV are mostly free, the vaccine’s steep price hinders the everyday Filipino from receiving this essential protection.
Dr. Chrislyn Abadilla, Mayor of Banna, Ilocos Norte, addressed this demand in her municipality through widespread HPV vaccination. The program reported that at least 99 percent of Banna’s citizens are vaccinated against HPV. The medical practitioner-turned-public servant reflected a goal grounded in adequate budget allocation and steadfast commitment–qualities yet to be seen in the country’s other local government units (LGUs), as stated by Dr. Christia Padolina, Asia & Oceania Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Executive Board Member.
Meanwhile, Quezon City Councilor Charm Ferrer offered a personal viewpoint on cervical cancer prevention, underscoring the need for the vaccine’s mass distribution as she cited her own journey as a cervical cancer survivor. She encountered bouts of stigma and reproach surrounding HPV, which she wishes to dispel through the growth of awareness and information.
Safeguarding the new generation
“We have to frame [that it is] part of routine care,” Dr. Vanessa Torres-Ticzon expressed as a measure to destigmatize initiatives and treatment for HPV. This was a primary issue brought up during the second plenary session as professionals in the field dissected present efforts to protect the next generation against HPV.
Currently, free school-based immunization programs in most municipalities are limited to girls aged nine to 14 years. On the other hand, some schools have adopted a grade cut-off rather than the existing age limit, offering vaccines to those below the fourth grade. Webb highlighted these regulatory inconsistencies, stating that “policies should be streamlined and consistent, someone from the outside looking in [can be confused].”
These policies were founded through a “convenience approach,” according to Dr. Anthony Calibo of Jhpiego Philippines, as restrictions for vaccine recipients resulted from the LGUs’ logistical limitations. Along with the projected effectiveness of the vaccine in younger age demographics, “Adolescents have a better immune response; the effect is not as optimal if given to someone [older that may have] the disease [already],” as clarified by Dr. Ricardo Manalastas of the Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Their discussions illuminated the emerging issue, casting light on the stagnation in national HPV immunization due to systemic obstacles that extend beyond mere medical barriers, as pointed out by Ms. Krizelle Cleo Fowler of the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health’s UPLIFT program.
“The path to eliminating cervical cancer is clear, but is only possible through sustained collective action,” POGS Vice President Dr. Ma. Socorro M. Solis underpinned in her closing remarks, as the hope for a cervical cancer-free Philippines draws near with continued discussions, studies, and policies to combat the disease and heal the wounds of stigma that come along with cervical cancer and women’s health.
The fight to safeguard the lives of our society’s cornerstones prevails, and with unified efforts and cohesive endeavors, countless women may now have better chances to be liberated from this preventable disease.
With high hopes, the country may soon step into an era where cervical cancer will cease to exist in the country, echoed through the powerfully driven statement of Valdeavilla, “Let’s build a future where no woman can die from a preventable disease, where every Filipina can live an empowered and dignified life.”
