QC gov't earmarks P36M for cancer control

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The Quezon City government has earmarked P36 million for cancer control in 2027 to bolster the city's Integrated Cancer Control Ordinance (QCICCO).

QC Councilor Alfred Vargas said this is a massive leap from P400,000 in funding in 2023. The bill was authored by Vargas and signed into law by Mayor Joy Belmonte in June 2024.

“Quezon City became the first LGU in the country to establish a localized cancer policy patterned after the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) because of Mayor Joy's support. Pinuri tayo ng international community dahil sa best practices na ito kamakailan lang,” Vargas said.

Health remains a top priority under Belmonte’s leadership with a P5.5-billion budget, representing 11% of the total city budget.

Key achievements include conducting over 129,000 breast and 40,000 cervical cancer screenings since 2024, achieving 100% PhilHealth Yakap accreditation across all city health centers, and earning national acclaim as Quezon City General Hospital was named among the country's top hospitals by Newsweek and Statista.

“Ito ang mga programang dapat ituloy at lalo nating pagtibayin. Sa pag-aalaga ng kalusugan ng bawat QCitizen, masisigurado natin ang lalong pag-unlad ng ating lungsod,” Vargas said.

Vargas also praised the Belmonte administration’s exceptional fiscal discipline in maintaining a P45.5-billion budget for 2026, which doubled since 2019 without raising taxes and while remaining completely debt-free.

In social welfare, the councilor said the city, under Belmonte’s leadership, doubled financial assistance for senior citizens and instituted a P10,000 cash aid program for indigent residents fighting chronic illnesses.

He also noted the Q City Bus program, institutionalized under City Ordinance No. SP-3184, which he authored. Deploying 88 buses across eight routes, the program has reached over 51 million in ridership, providing essential daily transit for students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and workers, allowing commuters to save up to P2,000 monthly on fare expenses. —AOL, GMA News