Press Release - Sin Tax Champion Senator Pia Cayetano Highlights Healthcare Funding at Breast Cancer Event

MUNTINLUPA CITY - In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Senator Pia S. Cayetano addressed barangay health workers, healthcare workers, breast cancer survivors, and fellow advocates during a seminar in Muntinlupa.

The Senator expressed her deep gratitude to the healthcare workers present, acknowledging their crucial role in breast cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. She also empathized with those who have lost a loved one to cancer, personally having lost her father to liver cancer. "Kami po ay nag-survive dahil sa malasakit ng mga health workers na nakapaligid sa tatay namin," Cayetano shared, highlighting the crucial role of healthcare workers during the late Senator Rene Cayetano's bout against liver cancer.

Senator Cayetano authored and sponsored Sin Tax laws, which seek to curb harmful vices such as smoking and vaping, and generate billions for the healthcare sector. This funds the construction and upgrading of health facilities such as super health centers and hospitals; medical equipment such as mammogram units, CT Scans, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines; and medical assistance to patients. This year alone, the sin tax incremental revenue for health amounted to P184 billion.

"Kaya dapat talaga ang national government tumutulong sa lahat ng local government because may pera na panggastos," the Senator emphasized, explaining the importance of these funds for local healthcare initiatives.

The event was organized by the Muntinlupa City Government under Mayor Ruffy Biazon in partnership with the Metro Manila Mayors Spouses Foundation and ICanServe Foundation.