An ordinance establishing a quarterly anti-breast cancer campaign program, was passed on first reading yesterday by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungspod.

Authored by Councilor Em Legaspi-Ang, the ordinance said cancer is the third leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the country, while the Philippines has the highest number of reported breast cancer incidence in Asia and is considered to have the ninth highest incident rate in the world today.

It said 26 females out of 100 and one male out of 105 may be diagnosed with breast cancer in the Philippines and survival rate of breast cancer in the Philippines is below 50 percent and an estimated 70 percent of breast cancer patients in the Philippines are indigents.

The ordinance said early detection of breast cancer increases the cure and recovery rates. Breast self examination and mammography are effective in early detection, however, only 54 percent of Filipino women perform BSE and out of that number, only 27 percent continue to do it regularly.

It said mammography is not readily available and too expensive thus, there is a need to increase the awareness and assistance in preventing, diagnosing and treating breast cancer among Filipino women.

Ang said this measure seeks to strengthen the world advocacy and awareness against the spread of breast cancer pursuant to the United Nations Millenium Development Goal of improving maternal health in order to end extreme world poverty by 2015.

Meanwhile, the SP also passed a resolution enjoining the voluntary participation and cooperation of all Bacolodnons in the initial Bacolod Citywide Alay Linis/Community Service on February 4, 2012 in line with the city’s Clean and Green Movement.

Authored by Councilor Sonya Verdeflor, the resolution said that,as a kick-off and initial action of the reconstituted Bacolod City Task Force Clean and Green, pursuant to Executive Order No. 21, Series of 2011 of City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, a citywide Alay Linis/Community Service will be conducted on Saturday at 6 to 9 a.m. to cover the entire Lacson Street from Corner Lacson-Magsaysay to the boundary of Bacolod and Talisay Cities.

It said the said citywide cleaning and greening program aims to inculcate in the minds of the city residents the values of volunteerism, discipline, self-reliance, resourcefulness, cooperation, cleanliness and environmental awareness as well as to mobilize all sectors of society in transforming and helping their communities become clean and green areas and kept free from epidemics.

The SP also approved another resolution urging all the residents of Bacolod City to support the “Bacollywood”, an independent film and video art festival that will run from February 8 to 11, 2012 at Robinson’s Movieworld, was passed by the SP yesterday.

Authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, the resolution said the festival will showcase documentary films that feature the events and the struggles of the sugar industry in Negros and how it affected the lives of its 2.7 million inhabitants.

It said there will also be films from Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan and provinces in Bicol and Mindanao that will be shown during the duration of the festival that will reflect the cultures of regions where they were produced.*CGS

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