Breast Cancer and the Philippine Senate

In several occasions in the past years, the PBCN had attended Congressional and Senate public hearings on proposed legislative bills on breast cancer. In all of them, focus was on early detection by annual mammograms. The PBCN always submitted its position against mammography and instead proposed efforts to address this public health epidemic with prevention actions.

As can be seen in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Congress, all proposed Senate Bills carried a medical perspective and upon further study, were actually lifted from similar bills proposed in the US Senate.

SBN 2019 of Sen. Santiago was on the hospitalization of women medically with breast cancer but who have health plans.

In the 14th Congress, SBN's 2017 of Sen. Santiago, SBN 1815 of Sen. Villar and SBN 78 of Sen. Legarda were all focused on mammography and early detection.

SBN 3071 of Sen. Trillanes was about breast cancer benefits in Philhealth's coverage of its members.

SBN 1784 was for the enactment of Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 in continuation of her SBN 2019.

For the 15th Congress, SBN 1399, SBN 1110 and SBN 189 were for the enactments of previous bills proposed by Senators Legarda, Villar and Trillanes.

It was during this period that the PBCN attended a public hearing and submitted its position while voicing out its strong view on the matter of early detection and vehemently questioned the medical perspective on breast cancer, while urging government to look into and act on the environmental causes of the disease.


In the current 16th Congress, the Senate is about to enact the Breast Cancer Patient Education Act by Sen. Santiago, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Potection Act by Sen. Trillanes and the Breast Cancer Detection Act of 2013 by Sen. Legarda.

All these acts will not only result into the furtherance of a public health epidemic beause of overdiagnosis and overtreatment but worse, will not stop our women from getting breast cancer. The Philippines has had the highest increase of breast cancer incidence worldwide for the past 30 years and yet nothing is being done to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer.

The most recent studies in North America and Europe have already confirmed what the PBCN has long been saying about mammography and early detection. Yet our "well-meaning" Senators have either refused or have been coerced by the multi-billion medical-pharmaceutical industry not to act in favor of our people.

The Senate Committee on Health chaired by Sen. Guingona has scheduled another public hearing on breast cancer this May 20th 2014 and the method by which the PBCN was being invited was very much insulting. Without any previous communication, they called to simply ask if the PBCN would be interested to attend. Attend what? Another circus of totally uniformed Senators on the true issues on breast cancer?

The PBCN still hopes for a courageous Senator who will truly champion the welfare and interests of our people! That of eliminating the environmental causes of this public health epidemic that chooses no one regardless of economic or social status. Breast Cancer does NOT have to happen!  

October, breast cancer carnival month

When October ends, will the pink carnival also end? Nope, because breast cancer will continue to dominate the fear of every woman in the Philippines where 1 in 13 will get the disease. The show goes on.....

As aptly said by Rosa Francia Meneses during the 1999 World Conference on Breast Cancer in Ottawa, “The greatest risk of getting breast cancer tomorrow is being born today in a developing country. The greatest risk of not surviving breast cancer today is being a woman in the Philippines."

In the Philippines, the Department of Health has more than once embarked on major breast cancer programs since 20 years ago. None has made any major inroad as seen by the country’s registering the highest growth in incidence rate worldwide while having the 12^th highest mortality rate. Only recently, the government’s Philippine Health Insurance Corporation opened the doors to more over-diagnosis and over-treatments of breast cancer by providing treatment funds for its qualified members.

And at the legislative levels of government, no bill has been written for the prevention of this environmental disease. All bills proposed were on early detection thru mammography – clearly riding this public health issue from a medical point of view and NOT on a people’s point of view, which is “we do not want to get breast cancer!” 

Media has even made itself part of the carnival by featuring the latest treatments, even alternative ones. All the 3 major television networks more than once took contact with the PBCN for their respective features for breast cancer month. However, the PBCN saw no reason to be part of the "carnival" - the glamorization, commercialization and misinformation. Either they wanted personalities with breast cancer to attract viewers, prop up the medical-pharmaceutical industry or present early detection as a preventive measure. It was best and prudent for the PBCN no to be used as a decor or worse, to be misrepresented to the public. All were grossly lacking in research and journalism depth. I challenged them to make a powerful feature on the risks and dangers of annual chest x-rays and mammograms but I knew none would take me upon it. So don't think that all the talk on breast cancer seen on television is reliable - they will simply go through the motions with not much substance.

So who will benefit with the October breast cancer awareness month? The medical—pharmaceutical-supplement network industry! Even a supposedly conscientious company has allowed itself to be used which would likewise benefit themselves. The entire awareness blah-blah-blah will simply scare women to seek medical solutions without addressing how they got it in the first place. And why would it be important for every patient to understand her environmental exposures which led to her breast cancer? Because her daughters, sisters, relatives, neighbors and co-workers will one day also get breast cancer – not from the genes but because of environmental risk exposures!

The PBCN has been observing several patients from specific areas but not limited to Angeles City (Pampanga), Guihulngan (Negros Oriental) and Bacoor (Cavite). What is similar to all is their ground water supply which is most definitely contaminated with carcinogens from different sources.

Then as far as occupational hazards would be the high incidence rate among government female workers – specifically public school teachers. The required annual chest x-rays have only done harm by exposing their breasts to repeated radiation particularly during their periods of vulnerability.

There is no such thing as early detection. It takes 5 to 10 years before the first symptoms of breast cancer are manifested. So-called long term survivors either had no cancer in the very first place (over diagnosis) or had non-aggressive types such as DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) which was never life-threatening even without treatment.

Mammography is a medical risk factor for eventually getting breast cancer. Women are being told year in and year out that they are clear from the disease, only waiting for the time to be told, “I’m sorry Ma’m but you now have breast cancer,”

The October carnival happens every year but the tragedy of breast cancer must stop.
NO to mammography!

15 years of breast cancer advocacy in the Philippines

It has now been 15 years since Rosa Francia-Meneses established the Philippine Breast Cancer Network as a direct result of the 1^st World Conference on Breast Cancer held in Kingston, Ontario in 1997.

The PBCN pays special tribute to Andrea Martin from the USA, who had devoted her life to the global movement for the eradication of breast cancer and who was a very special friend of the PBCN.  We likewise give special recognition to the following who have maintained the course and pursue in this quest: North America - Sharon Batt, Barbara Brenner, Judy Brady, Devra Davis, Samuel Epstein, Nancy Evans, Ann Fonfa, Jackie Manthorne, Karen Miller, Sandra Steingraber and Laura Weinberg; Europe - Laura Potts, Helen Lynn and Annie Sasco; and Japan - Akiko Domoto and Kimiko Goldberg

But as these persons have been trailblazers in their respective countries, our organizations all face a lacking of new faces of dynamism and resolve, of 2^nd liners who will continue what was started in that historical 1997 Kingston Conference. But without a doubt, there are already newly-diagnosed women out there who have already picked up the baton. 

The PBCN has only been able to persist because it is the only breast cancer organization with a completely patient’s perspective that is led by a man who will not yet die. The burden of advocacy on a patient, most especially in the Philippines is not only demanding of her time and health but breast cancer activism in itself has yet to be accepted and recognized by society and governance.

If not for personal donations from both patients and supporters, the PBCN would have already succumbed to the cancer industry with all the offers of partnerships and assistance from the medical-pharmaceutical sectors as well as grandstanding politicians. This is the reality of territory the PBCN has been in since 15 years ago – yet though it would be simply practical just to survive, the PBCN has always relied on divine intervention and to quote Goethe, “The moment one definitely commits oneself, the Providence also moves. All sorts of things occur to help which would not have otherwise have happened. A whole stream of events flow from that decision, bringing all kinds of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no one could have foreseen. Whatever one can do or dream one can, do it. Boldness has genius, power and magic. Do it now.”

August 28^th was the 15^th year of the PBCN and also the 60^th birthday of its founding President. I was able to attend mass, but on television. It was for a simple yet great public servant who perished from a plane crash and captured the hearts and minds of the entire nation. He had dreams that did not fit into the political realities in the country but held steady since more than 20 years ago – he had no idea whether his efforts would go anywhere. Are there others like him?

Yes there are! Two days before, I accompanied my daughter and her classmates undertake a cultural research visit to a small and obscure town in Laguna province. They were all amazed at how the town has maintained its cultural heritage and how the entire community is starting to progress. Then they were shocked to see the month-long waist-deep flood waters that remain and of all places, where the town Mayor and his family reside. Yes, this unassuming mayor of Pila, Laguna is another Jesse Robredo in the making.

Why did I have to mention this?  Because just like these devoted public officials who kept on with their “impossible dream” ….. the PBCN after 15 years of breast cancer advocacy and all its accompanying personal sacrifices, I know deep inside that something’s got to give! 

The PBCN’s advocacy for the prevention and ultimate eradication of breast cancer did not end with the death of Rosa Francia-Meneses.  As silent as every woman copes and confronts with her life-threatening disease, so does the PBCN grapple to stay alive. Despite having lost its recovery center in Tiaong, Quezon aggravated with the unsolved cold-blooded murder of its caretaker, the PBCN continues to provide care and management for women afflicted or suspected to have breast cancer whenever, wherever and however possible.  

Breast cancer is today a national public health epidemic – this is the reality. But the truth is that breast cancer can be prevented! 

The reality is that the medical-pharmaceutical industry continues to mislead the public in believing that early detection prevents breast cancer. But the truth is that mammography causes breast cancer!

The reality is that the PBCN is in dire need of funds. But the truth is that firm resolve and not money has kept the PBCN alive and kicking the past 15 years.

To face reality, one can just opt to be practical. But to be real, one just has to be true.

“Freedom from Breast Cancer!”