Cebu City Launches Free Cervical Cancer Screening Drive

Cebu City, Philippines – Cebu City marked a significant milestone in the fight against cervical cancer with the launch of the Cervical Cancer Elimination (CCE) Campaign on May 8, 2025.

The event was led by the Cebu City Health Department and the Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 in partnership with Jhpiego Philippines through the Centralized Model for HPV DNA Screening (CLAMS) Project.

The initiative uses the Cobas system and is supported by Olivia Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good, funded by proceeds from her GUTS World Tour in the Philippines.

The campaign highlighted the urgent need to address cervical cancer through prevention, early detection and timely treatment.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the Philippines and remains a leading cause of death for women living with HIV.

An estimated 12 women die every day from this preventable disease, largely due to low screening and vaccination coverage and delays in treating precancerous lesions.

“Cervical cancer is highly preventable, yet it continues to claim the lives of many Filipino women,” said Dr. Joshua Brillantes, regional director of DOH Region 7.

“Through initiatives like this, we are bringing life-saving services closer to communities. Early screening and vaccination can make the difference between life and death,” he said.

The launch aimed to sustain progress in expanding access to cervical cancer screening and strengthening programs at the primary health care level.

Key objectives included raising public awareness, introducing HPV DNA self-collection and reinforcing collaboration among government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and private sector partners.

“In launching this campaign here in Cebu, we are strengthening our collective efforts toward eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem,” said Dr. Ingrid Magnata, country program manager of Jhpiego Philippines.

The launch included free cervical cancer screening services using HPV DNA testing, giving women access to early detection and critical health information.

To ensure timely care for women who test positive, the CLAMS Project through Jhpiego is donating thermal ablation devices to select Cebu City Health Department primary health centers.

These devices will provide convenient, free and quality treatment services at the community level.

The campaign also featured a pilot demonstration of iSCerv, a digital platform for cervical cancer screening and patient tracking.

The platform is designed to streamline service delivery and ensure women receive continuous care.

Dr. Daisy Villa, Cebu City health officer, emphasized the city’s commitment to the program.

“Cebu City is ready to lead by example,” she said.

“By bringing free cervical cancer screenings and education directly to our barangays, we are making sure that women, regardless of their background, have access to life-saving services.”

Jhpiego reaffirmed its partnership with the Philippine government through a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health, which will remain in effect until 2030.

“We are proud to work alongside our public and private partners in this vital effort,” Dr. Magnata added.

“Through collaboration, community engagement and sustained investment in prevention and early treatment, we can ensure that no woman dies of cervical cancer.”

The event concluded with renewed commitment from all stakeholders to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat in the Philippines.