Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez led the groundbreaking ceremony for yet another legacy project of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., this time a cancer center in the City of Manila named after the Speaker’s father.
“Your solidarity with the goal of the administration of President Marcos to leave behind a legacy of healthcare emboldens us to aspire for even higher goals,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gov. Benjamin Romualdez Cancer Center at the grounds of Ospital ng Maynila June 25.
The first local government cancer facility, the five-storey center is a 38-bed health institution, and equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology, including a linear accelerator, Spect gamma camera with treadmill machine, and a CT scan.
Romualdez lauded the government officials, who helped facilitate the building of the center, led by Manila Mayor Honey Lacuña, saying this is where “even the poorest among us can access top-tier medical care without fear of financial ruin.”
“The President’s vision is clear: no Filipino should have to choose between their health and their livelihood,” the Speaker said. “The establishment of cancer centers, like the one we inaugurated, is a testament to President Marcos’ commitment to this cause.”
Romualdez expressed gratitude to other officials, like Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and other House leaders, including his wife Rep. Yedda Romualdez, majority leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, and House appropriations committee chair Zaldy Co, for making the cancer center a reality.
“I have first-hand knowledge on this (cancer), losing my father to this dreaded disease. Here and now, I commit to fully support the completion of this medical facility that bears his name,” the Speaker said, noting this is “another step in the realization of the promise” for more hospitals.
He said this is in compliance with the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), or Republic Act 11215, which then president Rodrigo Duterte signed and enacted into law in 2019.
Romualdez clarified in a press release from his office that the “hospital is not the building alone. It has to be staffed by specialists, and staff and workers, who shall attend to the needs of patients from Manila and nearby areas.”
“I am grateful that the City of Manila, with its capable doctors and medical practitioners, has taken on this important challenge, not just to provide patients with affordable yet effective treatments for cancer in advanced stages, but enable early cancer detection for better outcomes,” he said.
Romualdez added he is glad that the Marcos administration has initiated a “renewed focus in ensuring that healthcare is a top priority, especially for our less fortunate citizens, who face financial challenges due to debilitating illnesses.”
“The President has consistently emphasized that the health and well-being of every Filipino, regardless of their economic status, is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda,” Romualdez, president of the ruling Lakas-CMD party, reiterated.
Through initiatives like the Universal Health Care Act, the administration of President Marcos is working tirelessly to provide comprehensive health services that are accessible and affordable, the Speaker stressed.
“Cancer care is a broad field. From information and education initiatives, down to the local barangay level, psychological support for patients and survivors, providing support for these initiatives, to research, to actual treatment, each of us have a role to play to achieve victory in this battlefield,” Romualdez added. “Together, let us build a cancer-free Philippine society.” ||
