MANILA – The Rotary Clubs of Manila, Aduana de Manila, and Binondo Manila, in partnership with Kalusugan ng Kababaihang Pangkabayanan, Inc. (KnKPInc), came together for a full day dedicated to empowering women through free, comprehensive healthcare services. Held at the Champ Building, Anda Circle, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila, the event offered a suite of essential medical services—including women’s wellness lectures, prenatal check-ups, breast and pelvic examinations, breast and transvaginal ultrasounds, cervical cancer screening and prevention counseling, biopsies, and gynecologic consultations.
The initiative brought together passionate leaders from various Rotary Clubs, including President Raoul C. Creencia of the Rotary Club of Manila, Joy Francisco of the Rotary Club of Binondo Prime, President-Elect Red Rod, SDG for Membership CB Henry Villa, and representatives from the Rotary Club of Cavite Uptown led by Maria Teresita Elvira Antonio. Their presence symbolized Rotary’s continued commitment to ensuring that women—especially those in underserved communities—receive access to life-saving health information and service.
Introducing the Speculoscope: A New Chapter in Community Cervical Cancer Screening
Invited by my fellow Rotarian, CB Henry Villa, I had the opportunity to introduce the speculoscope during the VIA screening activities. What I thought would be a simple demonstration turned into a meaningful reunion when I unexpectedly crossed paths with my long-time colleague and friend, Dr. Judith Cabanela, a respected OB-Oncologist.
During the session, I presented the speculoscope—a locally developed, enhanced visualization tool that elevates standard VIA screening. I highlighted its unique advantages:
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Magnification of the cervix for better visualization
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Accurate documentation through image capture
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Tele-evaluation, enabling remote expert review
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Image annotation for VIA-positive cases by gynecologic oncologists
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Real-time feedback for operators using thermal ablation
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Post-treatment verification to ensure complete lesion coverage
The attending OB-Gyne team warmly welcomed the innovation. Many expressed eagerness to explore how Rotary could help equip their teams with this device to strengthen cervical cancer screening in Manila communities.
Building a Cervical Image Bank: Toward the First Philippine AI Against Cervical Cancer
As discussed during the session, the data gathered through speculoscope-assisted VIA will contribute to a groundbreaking national effort: the building of the first Philippine Cervical Image Bank, in partnership with DOST–ASTI. This initiative—publicly presented on November 17, 2025—will support the training of the country’s first AI system against cervical cancer.
For this AI to be effective and truly Filipino, we need three key components:
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High-quality cervical images from Filipino women
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HPV-DNA testing (expected to scale beginning the second quarter of next year)
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Biopsy-confirmed cases to establish training-grade truth data
This vision was shared with KnKPInc leaders, who expressed enthusiasm about how their ongoing clinical work can contribute to this national movement.
Strength in Partnership: KnKPInc and Rotary
The event was graced by the dedicated women leaders of KnKPInc, including:
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Dr. Concepcion Pijuan-Alfiler, OB Sonologist and Founder/Treasurer
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Dr. Sharon Gianan-Cruz, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chairwoman
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Dr. Maria Theresa Ramos, Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Dr. Roela “Bunny” Bonales, Obstetrics & Gynecology, President
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Dr. Judith Cabanela, OB-Oncology
Their commitment to serving the community aligns strongly with Rotary’s mission to uplift women’s health through service, education, and innovation.
Looking Ahead: A New Collaboration for Women’s Health
This event marks the beginning of what could become a transformative partnership. With KnKPInc’s clinical strength and Rotary’s advocacy and service network, we see tremendous potential in formalizing a collaboration with the Rotary Club of Manila—and hopefully with my own club, the Rotary Club of Manila South.
Together, we can expand access to enhanced cervical cancer screening, strengthen community-based women’s health programs, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s first AI-driven cervical cancer elimination efforts.
What began as a day of service may well become the first step toward a larger, lasting impact for Filipino women—powered by compassion, innovation, and the Rotary spirit of “Service Above Self.”
