Up to 25,000 Filipinos battling cancer stand to receive up to P150,000 each in financial assistance next year under a proposed historic P3.75-billion allocation for the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The proposed budget represents a P2.25-billion, or 150-percent, surge from the P1.50 billion provided under the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA). The increase expands the fund to two-and-a-half times its current level as the Marcos administration moves to relieve families of catastrophic health expenses.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon emphasized during the FY 2027 NEP presentation that the funding push addresses the heavy financial toll linked to prolonged oncological treatments.
De Leon noted that this historic increase will enable more Filipinos battling cancer to receive timely screening, early diagnosis, life-saving treatment, essential medicines and financial assistance without forcing their families into deeper financial hardship.
The expanded fund will cover qualified cancer patients, survivors, and eligible beneficiaries enrolled in 36 designated cancer care access sites across the country. These sites are situated within Department of Health (DOH)-retained hospitals and local government unit (LGU)-operated medical centers, comprising 23 facilities in Luzon, five in the Visayas, and eight in Mindanao.
In his Budget Message for FY 2027, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the expanded geographical reach and clinical scope of the program.
The President stated that the funding available across 36 designated sites will expand access to timely diagnosis and life-saving treatment for patients battling the country’s deadliest cancers, including breast, lung, colorectal and liver cancer.
Under the expanded framework, the CAF supports a comprehensive range of care services, including screening, early detection, laboratory testing, required medications and ongoing diagnostic procedures required for management.
By raising the funding level to P3.75 billion, the administration aims to ensure that treatment costs no longer impede access to essential healthcare for thousands of patients nationwide.