send written notice to the said offices when said reports have been posted on its
website which shall be considered the date of submission.
SECTION 21. PhilHealth Benefits for Cancer. – The Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation shall expand its benefit packages to include primary care screening,
detection, diagnosis, treatment assistance, supportive care, survivorship follow-up care
rehabilitation, and end-of-life care, for all types and stages of cancer, in both adults and
children. It shall also develop innovative benefits such as support for community-based
modesl fo care to improve cancer treatment journey and reduce costs of care, including
stand-alone chemotherapy infusion centers, ambulatory care, community- or homebased palliative care and pain management and community-based hospice facility. The
development or expansion of any PhilHealth benefit shall go through a proper,
transparent and standardized prioritization setting process, such as the Health
Technology Assessment and actuarial feasibility study, to avoid inequitable allocation of
funds for health care services.
The Cance Assistance Fund and PhilHealth benefits shall be made available in public
and private DOH-licensed cancer centers, DOH and PhilHealth shall prescribe, in
consultation with stakeholders, the coverage rates and applicable rules on options to
charge co-payment for services rendered. Processes to avail of such funding shall be
streamlined to ensure timely provision of cancer care.
SECTION 22. Social Protection Mechanisms. – The DOH, in collaboration with the
Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS),
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, DOLE, DSWD, PhilHealth and LGUs shall
develop appropriate and easily accessible social protection mechanisms for cancer
patients, people living with cancer, cancer survivors, their families and carers. It shall
aim to encourage the underprivileged and marginalized people living with cancer to
undergo the necessary treatment and care.
A Cancer Control Policy shall be established in every workplace. It shall form part of
employee benefits in the formal sector covering the entire cancer continuum, from
prevention, including genetic counseling and testing, to screening, diagnosis and
palliative care, treatment, rehabilitation, survivorship or hospice care.
The Insurance Commission shall mandate the Health Maintenance Organizations
(HOMs) to cover genetic counseling and testing, cancer screening, diagnostics and
palliative care as well as certain therapeutics of all member employees.
The cancer-related absences from work of member employees as well as voluntary
members shall be covered and compensated by the Sickness Benefits of the SSS and
Disability Benefits of the GSIS.
The employees in the informal sector shall be prioritized in the cancer control packages
of PhilHealth while the employees in the formal sector shall be offered cost-sharing
PhilHealth benefit packages.
ARTICLE VI
ESSENTIAL MEDICINES
SECTION 23. Cancer and Related Supportive Care Medicines. – The DOH, and other
concerned government agencies shall implement reforms supporting early access to
essential medicines, innovative medicines and health technologies, to ensure highest
possible chance of survival among people with cancer. The reforms include facilitating
quick access to drugs for compassionate use and developing a more responsive system
for effectively addressing emergency cases.
The FDA shall create a dedicated and streamlined process, not exceeding one (1) year,
for the licensing of innovator and generic cancer medication, subject to appropriate
quality checks and compliance with minimum standards, such as, but not limited to,
being approved and used for cancer treatment in other countries.
SECTION 24. Palliative Care and Pain Management Medicines. – The DOH shall
ensure sufficient supply of medicines for palliative care and pain management that are
available at affordable prices. Further, the DOH shall formulate a monitoring system to
check that pain medications are safe and administered in correct dosages.
ARTICLE VII
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PERSONS WITH CANCER AND CANCER
SURVIVORS
SECTION 25. Persons with Disabilities. – Cancer patients, persons living with cancer
and cancer survivors are considered as persons with disabilities (PWDs) in accordance
with Republic Act No. 7277, as amended, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for
Disabled Persons”.