Empowered to choose better health

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March is National Women’s Month -- a time for celebration, recognition, and empowerment. But beyond the greetings and hashtags, we must confront a deeper question: how do we truly honor women if we do not protect their health?

This year, our public service initiative is simple but urgent. From March until September 2026, we are offering free ultrasound, cervical cancer screening, Pap smear and breast examination for women who need them. These are not just routine tests. They are life-saving interventions.

We are inviting women to message me directly through my social media accounts (@JingCastaneda) for more information on how to avail of these services. In partnership with committed institutions and volunteer doctors, we want to turn Women’s Month into a month of action.

Prevention is power

The Philippines continues to face serious challenges in women’s health. Cervical cancer remains one of the leading cancers affecting Filipino women. According to global cancer estimates, thousands of new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed in the country every year, and several Filipino women die from it daily. Yet cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers -- through early screening and timely treatment.

Early detection dramatically increases survival rates. A simple Pap smear can detect abnormal cells before they turn cancerous, while a cervical screening can identify early warning signs long before symptoms appear. Breast health is equally critical--breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in the Philippines. 

Studies show that one in every 13 Filipino women is at risk of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. Many cases are diagnosed at later stages, when treatment becomes more complicated and costly. Regular breast exams--even basic clinical examinations--can help detect lumps or changes early.

Ultrasound services also play a vital role in detecting gynecologic conditions such as myoma and ovarian cysts. Many women endure years of discomfort, heavy bleeding, and silent suffering without realizing that what they are experiencing can be treated.

To celebrate Women’s Month, let’s start by removing barriers--financial, emotional, and psychological--that often prevent women from seeking care.

Building on a promise: Cease, end the cyst

Our Women’s Month initiative builds on a project close to my heart: Cease, End the Cyst, now on its third year.

In 2024, together with the Rotary Club of Marikina Hilltop, we featured the project on my Teleradyo program, Ang Tinig Nyo. The initiative provided crucial surgical assistance to women suffering from myomas and ovarian cysts. Many of them had delayed treatment for years because surgery was financially out of reach.

The testimonials were unforgettable--mothers who could finally move without pain, women who no longer feared monthly hemorrhaging, families relieved that their loved ones were safe. Behind every diagnosis was a life waiting to be restored.

This year, Cease, End the Cyst expands further through collaboration with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, under the leadership of President and CEO Paul Camingian, Medical Director Dr. Kat Luna, and Chief of Clinics Dr. Jill Buensuceso. The partnership, together with Rotary Club of Marikina Hilltop led by President Atty. John Good Lucky Nicolas, Past Presidents Serge Mendoza and Chuck Manansala, and Club Adviser Dra. Sharon Mendoza strengthens the mission: to help women who need cyst removal surgery by subsidizing surgical costs and laboratory tests.

Free consultations will be available at the Lourdes Outpatient Department and at Doc Sharon’s Birthplace Clinic. Patients suffering from myoma, ovarian cysts, or abnormal uterine bleeding requiring surgery may qualify under the program.

Turning celebration into action

Women’s Month celebrations often focus on empowerment, and rightly so. But empowerment must include access to healthcare. A woman cannot fully thrive if she is silently battling untreated illness.

Too often, women prioritize their families’ needs before their own. They delay check-ups because of work. They postpone screenings because of cost. They dismiss symptoms because “kaya pa.” By the time they seek medical help, the disease may already be advanced.

That is what we hope to change this March.

These free services are gifts: gifts of prevention, gifts of early detection, gifts of peace of mind. But like any gift, they must be received to make a difference.

We are also encouraging women to stay connected through our social media platforms, where we continue to post schedules, updates, and additional public service offerings, including mental health services and other wellness initiatives. Information saves lives, and awareness empowers action.

A call to every daughter, sister and mother

If you are reading this, consider it both an invitation and a gentle nudge. If you have not had a Pap smear in years, schedule one. If you have never had a breast exam, now is the time. If you have been living with unexplained pelvic pain or abnormal bleeding, please do not ignore it.

Message us, reach out, ask questions.

National Women’s Month should not end with applause, but result in healthier women. Women who are screened, informed, treated, and supported.

In journalism, we often report statistics. In public service, we encounter stories. Behind every number is a woman who deserves care, dignity, and a future free from preventable disease.

Let this be the month you choose yourself. Message my Facebook or Instagram (JingCastaneda) for more information. Let us transform Women’s Month into a movement of prevention and early detection.

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Follow my social media accounts JingCastaneda:  Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter.  Send your questions, suggestions and reactions to editorial@jingcastaneda.ph.