QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES — On February 4, 2026, coinciding with World Cancer Day, the Government of Quezon City and the City Cancer Challenge Foundation (C/Can) formalized a landmark partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This historic agreement, signed by Mayor Ma. Josefina G. Belmonte and C/Can CEO Isabel Mestres with Dr. Chika Kitajima, Dr. Stuart Bennett Mr. Harold Cottin as her representative. Alongside Dr. Corazon Ngelangel, President of the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) and Dr. Ramona Abarquez of Quezon City Health Department. This marks Quezon City as the 17th city globally to join the C/Can network and the first in the Philippines to undertake this comprehensive international initiative.
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Councilor Alfred Vargas of District 5, Quezon City, congressional author of NICCA. Serving as witnesses were PCS Dr. Herdee Gloriane C. Luna, Dr. Gloria Cristal-Luna, City Health Operations Officer Dr. Dave Vergara, President of the Philippine Society of Oncologists Dr. Arthur Jason Go, and Vice-President of the Cancer Coalition Philippines Ms. Carmen Auste. The event also saw the participation of the Department of Health Regional Director Dr. Lester Tan, signaling a unified front between the Department of Health, the Quezon City Health Department, and civil society in the mission to provide equitable, accessible, and high-quality cancer care to the city’s approximately 3.2 million residents.
In the Philippines, cancer ranks as the second leading cause of death, with the highest prevalence found in lung, liver, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers. As the largest city in Metropolitan Manila, a significant regional economic hub, and a progressive/ inclusive/ community-based healthcare advocate, Quezon City is uniquely positioned to pioneer sustainable, locally adapted cancer care solutions that can serve as a model for other urban centers.
Quezon City's inclusion in the network is a result of strong political mobilization and the recent institutionalization of City Ordinance SP-3285, S-2024, the first Local Government Unit (LGU) integrated cancer control policy in the Philippines. LGUs can pass local integrated cancer control ordinances that operationalize NICCA at city or provincial level, securing local budget lines and institutionalizing programs beyond political terms, as shown in Quezon City’s model ordinance. Such ordinances allow LGUs to tailor interventions (e.g., targeted screening, navigation, support for indigent patients) to local inequities while still aligned with national standards.
The partnership will implement C/Can’s City Engagement Process Framework (CEPF), a ten-year, data-driven model designed to transform health systems from the ground up, much of which have already started in Quezon City. Key operational pillars include:
- The City Executive Committee (CEC): A local governance body that will guide the process to ensure all actions respond to specific community needs.
- Dedicated Support: Implementation will be facilitated by a City Manager and C/Can experts to identify gaps and power systemic change.
- Multistakeholder Engagement: The process will unite hospitals, health authorities, healthcare professionals, civil society, and patients to co-create tailored, scalable solutions.
The Philippine Cancer Society serves as a key stakeholder in this collaboration, bridging the gap between government and civil society.
By joining Asian C/Can peers such as Yangon (Myanmar, 2017), Greater Petaling (Malaysia, 2019), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia, 2020), Quezon City (Philippines, 2026) will help accelerate regional learning and foster international collaboration to make equitable cancer care a reality.
C/Can most commonly refers to the City Cancer Challenge Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit (launched by UICC in 2017) that partners with cities in low- and middle-income countries to improve access to quality cancer care. It works with local stakeholders to design, plan, and implement sustainable health solutions.
