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Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte

Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte 1
23
Aug

Cervical cancer remains one of the most preventable yet deadly diseases among Filipino women. But in Camarines Norte, a determined collaboration of leaders, midwives, and organizations is showing how prevention can save lives.

The story of “Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay” began in July 2024, and just a year later, the initiative has grown into a movement that continues to empower midwives and communities with knowledge, technology, and compassion.

Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte 2

The Beginning: July 2024 Health Mission

The project was first launched at the Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital (CNPH) from July 22–30, 2024, led by the Rotary Club of Daet North under the leadership of then-President Joshua De Leon.

This nine-day health mission united partners across sectors, including Governor Ricarte R. Padilla, Congresswoman Marisol Panotes, the Provincial Health Office, the Department of OB-Gyne at CNPH, the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecology Society (POGS) – Camarines Norte, the Camarines Norte Medical Society, the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP) – Camarines Norte Chapter, and CerviQ.

It showcased how government, medical professionals, and civic organizations can come together to advance a single cause: protecting women from cervical cancer through awareness, early detection, and access to care.

Planting the Seeds: IMAP Scientific Seminar, August 2024

Out of that mission came the IMAP Camarines Norte Scientific Seminar, hosted in partnership with National IMAP Incorporated on August 24, 2024, in Daet.

The seminar drew wide participation from midwives and healthcare workers across the province. It emphasized the crucial role of midwives as frontline champions in cervical cancer prevention — not just as providers of maternal and newborn care, but also as educators, advocates, and community mobilizers.

This event laid the foundation for what would become the Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay program as it stands today: a stronger, midwife-led movement to bring screening and prevention closer to women.

Silip Cervix Sagip Buhay 2: Training for Tomorrow, August 2025

Building on the momentum of 2024, the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP) – Camarines Norte Chapter hosted “Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay 2” on August 22–23, 2025 at the AC Lopez Reproductive Health Care and Lying-In Clinic, Diversion Road, Purok 1, Brgy. Camambugan, Daet.

Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte 3

This year’s mission has likewise been proudly supported as a continuing project by the Rotary Club of Daet North, now under the leadership of President Babes Cootauco. The sustained involvement of the Rotary underscores how civic organizations can provide consistency, resources, and moral support to community-based health programs.

Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte 4

The two-day training was designed with three key goals:

  1. Raising Awareness – Midwives were trained to deliver effective health talks on cervical cancer prevention, HPV vaccination, and the life-saving value of screening.

  2. Hands-On Skills – Participants learned and practiced speculoscopy-assisted VIA, an enhanced technique that allows better visualization, image documentation, and more accurate screening results.

  3. Building Capacity – The training prepared IMAP Cam Norte to eventually establish a speculoscopy-assisted VIA center — a long-term vision to provide women in the province with accessible, sustainable, and reliable cervical cancer screening services.

Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay: From Vision to Action in Camarines Norte 5

A Replicable Model for Cervical Cancer Elimination

From July 2024 to August 2025, Camarines Norte has demonstrated how a health initiative can grow into a movement:

  • Government support and civic partnerships ensured resources and community trust.

  • Midwives took center stage, reaching women directly in barangays and clinics.

  • Innovative approaches like speculoscopy-assisted VIA strengthened early detection.

  • Continuous professional development through seminars and trainings nurtured sustainability.

Looking Ahead

The progress in Camarines Norte proves that cervical cancer is not only preventable — it is a community solvable problem when awareness, training, and technology come together.

From a mission in July 2024, to a seminar in August 2024, and now to a fully-fledged training program in August 2025, the journey of Silip Cervix, Sagip Buhay is a testament to what can be achieved when health workers, leaders, and communities commit to the vision of a cervical cancer-free future for Filipinas.

Jesus Randy RIvera

A graduate of the esteemed Far Eastern University - Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, Dr. Rivera is a radiation oncologist by profession, equipped with specialized training in IMRT and prostate brachytherapy. His expertise has been honed through experiences at renowned institutions such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas and the Chicago Prostate Center in Chicago, among others. However, his contributions extend far beyond the clinical realm. Dr Bogs Rivera is the visionary founder of CerviQ, an advocacy group passionately committed to eradicating cervical cancer in the Philippines. Through innovative screening programs, leveraging artificial intelligence and remote diagnostic technologies, CerviQ strives to increase access to cervical cancer screenings in communities, facilitating early detection and potentially life-saving interventions. His leadership not only empowers healthcare professionals but also empowers communities, enabling barangay health workers to conduct screenings efficiently and accurately, with rapid turnaround times for results. Dr. Bogs Rivera embodies the intersection of medical expertise and humanitarianism, dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes and championing the cause of public health in the Philippines.