Approaching the end of his 6-year term, President Rodrigo Duterte has fulfilled another milestone as he inaugurated Friday evening two medical facilities furnished with modern cancer treatment and diagnostic equipment worth PHP893 million.

The facilities–the Cancer Diagnostic Institute Building and the Cancer Treatment Facility Building–are located in the government-run Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and have been identified as priority projects of the Office of the President.

“My vocation (in helping cancer patients) started many years ago. Every Christmas, I will go to hospitals to bring joy to the children with cancer. Seeing their situation, I want to give them everything while they are still with us,” Duterte said during the ceremony.

The Cancer Diagnostic Building is equipped with a 64-slice PET-Scan (Positive Emission Tomography) for the early detection or recurrence of cancer costing PHP120M, the first in Mindanao.

Another equipment, the PHP230-million 24 MeV (Mega-electron volt) Medical Cyclotron Facility, uses PET-Scan for the diagnosis of cancer.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the Medical Cyclotron Facility is the first to be installed in a government hospital in the country.

Vega said the facility is also equipped with a SPEC-CT Nuclear Imaging Facility for the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular diseases costing PHP78 million.

He said the Cancer Diagnostic Building costs PHP75 million to build.

Meanwhile, the Cancer Treatment Facility is equipped with a LINAC machine, or the Linear Accelerator, or the Radiotherapy Therapy for cancer.

According to Duterte, the Philippine Games and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR) also provided PHP365 million for the projects.

Vega said the projects started construction in October 2019 but went through several setbacks following the coronavirus disease pandemic in early 2020.

However, Vega said the President insisted that the projects be pushed through despite the challenges. (PNA)