October 27, 2025
MANILA – A “significant majority” of breast cancer cases in the Philippines only get diagnosed when the disease has already reached the advanced stage, greatly reducing one’s survival rate, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said in a statement.
In commemoration for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, PhilHealth stressed the importance of early detection for breast cancer as it pointed out that the country has “extremely low” screening rates for the disease.
Citing a 2023 report by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, PhilHealth said only 1 percent of Filipino women, or 540,000 out of an estimated 54 million, have been screened for breast cancer.
The state-run insurer said the low number of women being screened was linked to the country having one of the highest breast cancer mortality rates in Asia.
Moreover, as high as 65 percent of breast cancer cases were diagnosed in the advanced stage, which has greatly reduced the five-year survival rate, said PhilHealth.
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Based on data from the Department of Health, there were 33,079 cases of breast cancer in the Philippines in 2024, 17.5 percent of which were new cases. The agency noted that the disease was the most common type of cancer in the country last year.
To address this, PhilHealth president and CEO Dr. Edwin Mercado called on Filipino women to avail of the agency’s Z Benefit package for breast cancer, where beneficiaries can now claim up to P1.4 million from the previous P100,000.
“I encourage every woman not to delay when it comes to your health. Get a check-up, follow up, and comply with the correct medication. This is your right, and we are here to support you,” he said.
The package covers patients with breast cancer in stages 0 to 4 of, including those already undergoing treatment.
As of September, Philhealth noted that it has already paid P72.03 million in claims for its Z benefit package for breast cancer.
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PhilHealth added that it also provides financial coverage for selected outpatient cancer screening tests, such as mammogram (for P2,610) and breast ultrasound (P1,350), under its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program or Yakap.
According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is caused by abnormal breast cells that grow out of control and form tumors, which can then spread to the rest of the body and become fatal if left unchecked.
Approximately 99 percent of breast cancer cases occur in women. Around half of these cases develop in women who have no identifiable risk factor for the disease other than their gender and being over 40 years of age, WHO said.
According to the agency, most people will not experience any symptoms of breast cancer during the early stages, further emphasizing the need for screening tests.