Moving as One: A Global Call to Action to Prevent Cancer and Save Lives"
Titled “Moving as One: A Global Call to Action to Prevent Cancer and Save Lives,” the symposium was held in Manila last February 3, 2012. The event was in response to the UICC’s worldwide call for unity in the active fight against cancer, and also served as the Philippine observance of the World Cancer Day.
The day-long symposium was attended by 248 stakeholders and lay people. Philippine Secretary of Health Enrique T. Ona, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from Northern Mindanao, and the president of the UICC-member Philippine Cancer Society, led the list of the participants that included national and local government officials, leaders of nongovernmental health organizations, representatives of civic-conscious industrial companies, the Philippine media, physicians, allied health professionals, and lay persons. The Filipino participants came from all three regions of the country – from as far as Nueva Ecija in the north, Cebu in central Philippines, to Zamboanga Province deep in southern Philippines. The president of Johns Hopkins University-affiliate JHPIEGO and a senior representative of the World Health Organization’ regional office in Western Pacific represented foreign-based organizations.
Although, UICC could not join us, everyone, however, was heartened to hear your message, Dr. Cazap. This was read to the participants by a senior officer of Chevron Geothermal Philippines Holdings, Inc., our principal sponsor in organizing the symposium.
The Chancellor of the University of the Philippines-Manila presented to the symposium the World Cancer Declaration, and we collected 241 signatures, which we will send to you shortly. We are following up the signatures of participants who, for some reasons, were unable to submit their signatures. In the coming days we will campaign for signatures from members of organizations that were represented in the symposium.
To the knowledge of the symposium participants, it was the first time various groups from all over the Philippines had gathered in one place and gained awareness that there are enough of us to successfully start a united and growing war against cancer in our nation. For many of the participants, too, it was the first time that they became aware that the war we were waging individually was actually global in nature, and that the ideals and goals that we individually cherish had found expression and consolidation in one global call, the World Cancer Declaration.
From the sectors, organizations, and individuals who participated in the symposium, CIF is now identifying a select group that could meet to analyse the views and aspirations expressed in the symposium and form a consensus on the best ways we could put those views and aspirations into synergistic and long-term action. At the moment, the small regular staff of CIF is busy collating the materials and views presented at the symposium, and consolidating them in documents that will be used in the discussion at the planned “consensus meeting.” We will keep you informed of the developments.