Festivities in Cebu where a “pink army” marched around Plaza Sugbo to celebrate International Women’s Day attracted celebrities with the intent of advocating awareness of cervical cancer, the second highest cause of death among Filipina women. Visitors to Cebu City Hall listed to Pia Magalona, the widow of artist Francis Magalona who died from leukemia, a cancer with no vaccination or treatment. Mrs. Magalona was grateful that at least cervical cancer had a vaccine, and girls as young as 10 years old could receive it.

A press release stated: “For young girls between 15 and 25 years old, long lasting protection is necessary because this is when they will be the most prone to the HPV virus”. There are around 100 strands of human papil-loma virus (HPV), 15 of which lead to cervical cancer.

To avoid cervical cancer due to HPV for the rest of their lives, women need to receive three shots of the vaccination. Just one shot costs around P2, 500, but treatment of the cancer, if contracted, would cost hundreds of thousands.

Cervical cancer is especially dangerous because there are no noticeable symptoms in the early stages of the disease. According to Dr. Belinda Pañares, women may not even know they have the cancer until five years after they develop it, which 2/3 of the time is too late to take action against the disease.