PhilHealth Launches Free Cancer Screening Nationwide Starting August 14

By Sherman Calotes | Philippine People's Press 

PhilHealth will begin providing free outpatient cancer screening tests under its YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program) starting August 14, 2025, in a bid to curb cancer-related deaths and reduce the financial strain on Filipino families.

The expanded benefit package will cover screenings for breast, lung, liver, and colorectal cancers, with package rates ranging from ₱960 to ₱23,640, depending on the type of test.

Officials said the initiative is in line with the Universal Health Care (UHC) program, which seeks to make essential health services more accessible nationwide. PhilHealth stressed that early detection remains a crucial factor in cancer survival, citing World Health Organization data that breast cancer survival rates can reach up to 99 percent when diagnosed and treated early.

Members who wish to avail of the new benefit must register at a PhilHealth YAKAP Clinic, undergo a medical assessment, and secure a referral to an accredited cancer screening facility.

PhilHealth expressed hope that the program will encourage more Filipinos to undergo preventive screening, emphasizing that timely intervention not only saves lives but also significantly lowers long-term treatment costs.

Philippine People's Press | In Truth We Prevail