ILOILO City – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is urging private establishments across Western Visayas to roll out workplace-based cervical cancer screening and related services for female employees, in response to data that hundreds of women in the region were found at risk of the disease last year.
This call to action is part of DOLE Region 6’s intensified push to support national cervical cancer prevention efforts, in line with Presidential Proclamation No. 368 declaring May as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and Labor Advisory No. 16 issued by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.
The initiative seeks to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health threat.
“Covered establishments are encouraged to organize and facilitate the workplace-based cervical cancer screening activities and related services for their female employees,” DOLE-6 said in a new release. “Businesses are likewise advised to adopt interventions that support cervical cancer awareness, prevention, and control.”
DOLE-6 director Atty. Sixto Rodriguez Jr. emphasized that employers must promote education on the benefits of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and regular cervical screening.
Firms are also advised to partner with accredited health providers and integrate screening and treatment into their Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) packages.
The labor department further instructed companies to allow employees to take leave from work for cervical cancer screening.
Employees may also be excused from work — without being marked absent — if they are accompanying children for HPV vaccination or managing post-vaccination side effects, provided they present proof of medical attendance.
The call comes in the wake of Department of Health (DOH) data revealing that 520 out of 10,791 women screened in 2024 across Western Visayas showed signs of pre-cancerous lesions or were suspected of having cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is largely preventable, yet it continues to claim lives, especially among women who miss the opportunity to get screened or vaccinated,” said DOH Region 6 Medical Officer IV Dr. Aimee Marie Gayomali, who leads the agency’s Non-Communicable Diseases Cluster.
Dr. Gayomali stressed the importance of HPV immunization for girls aged 9 to 14, a service offered for free through school-based programs and local health centers.
“We target this age group because global studies show that many adolescents may become sexually active by age 15. Our goal is to build immunity before that risk begins,” she explained.
The DOH also recommends routine screening for women aged 30 to 65, using methods such as visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), Pap smear, and HPV DNA testing.
“Early detection saves lives. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and curable cancers if diagnosed early,” Dr. Gayomali said, adding that women must watch out for symptoms like unusual bleeding, pelvic or back pain, foul-smelling discharge, leg swelling, fatigue, or unexplained weight loss.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the DOH is working to expand public access to HPV vaccination and screening and is enjoining parents, schools, and communities to support the national prevention campaign.
“Prevention is possible — and it starts with awareness, vaccination, and regular screening,” Dr. Gayomali emphasized./PN
