Cancer screening now a PhilHealth Yakap program benefit, covering mammography, low-dose CT scan, colonoscopy

Mammography, low-dose chest CT scan for lung cancer screening, and colonoscopy are now covered free of charge under PhilHealth’s Yakap program, making cancer screening accessible to every Filipino enrolled in primary care for the first time, PhilHealth President and CEO Beverly Ho said Saturday.

Ho made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program Special on Saturday on August 22, as part of the DZRH SONA 2026 Series featuring the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth.

She said the cancer screening benefit is available at accredited hospitals and stand-alone clinics, with the Yakap provider determining which specific screening a patient needs based on their risk factors, family history, age, lifestyle, and medical background.

“Yung Yakap provider niyo po, base sa risk factor niyo, siyempre tatanungin niya kayo: May family history ba kayo? Ito na ba yung edad mo? Kumakain ka ba ng ganito? Umiinom ka ba ng alak, etcetera? ‘Pag nalaman niya lahat ng history mo, siya yung magsasabi na ire-rekomenda ko na po kayong mag-cancer screening. At yung mga cancer screening na po ‘yun, covered na rin po ng PhilHealth,” Ho said.

Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said cancer is among the rapidly emerging top causes of death in the Philippines, making early detection critical to improving survival rates and reducing the cost of treatment at advanced stages.

“Isa rin pong nag-eemerge sa ating mga top diseases are cancers. Pagka po nabibigyan natin ng pangunahing lunas at nagkaroon po tayo ng early detection, mas maganda po yung outcome, mas maganda po yung survival rate, at tsaka po mas nabibigyan natin ng kaukulang lunas ng mas mabilis at tsaka mas lesser po kaysa dun sa pag kayo po ay advanced stage na,” Mercado said.