The Senate will lead the establishment of a “Cancer Endowment Fund” for the treatment of indigent cancer patients, Senate President Juan
Zubiri said he will also start to gather P100 million as an initial fund. He said the endowment fund will be named after the late Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople.
Meanwhile, Senate Health Committee chairperson Sen. Christopher Go expressed his support for the Cancer Assistance Fund and noted the importance of continuously increasing its allocation especially for the 2024 General Appropriations Act .The proposed budget for 2023 under that year’s National Expenditure Program had initially no allocation for the fund but the House of Representatives and the Senate managed to allocate P500 million for it.
The National Integrated Cancer Control Act , under Republic Act No. 11215, includes CAF as an essential component, offering complimentary financial support to cancer patients in the country.