Because She Can: Empowering Filipinas to Prioritize Health and Prevention

Many women continue to place their own health last, often prioritizing work, family, and daily responsibilities. The Because She Can: Preventive Health for a Thriving Future roundtable sought to shift this mindset by encouraging Filipinas to see self-care not as an option, but as a form of empowerment and long-term protection.

Organized by MSD in the Philippines through its Guard Against HPV initiative, the event created a safe space for open dialogue on preventive healthcare, cervical cancer awareness and overall well-being. It brought together advocates and public figures including content creator Ayn Bernos, former Miss Universe Philippines MJ Lastimosa, Miss Philippines Earth 2025 Joy Barcoma, obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Ada Angela Cabrera, and moderator Alexis Tinsay.

A key focus of the discussion was cervical cancer, which remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Filipino women, with an estimated 12 lives lost daily. Experts highlighted that nearly all cases are caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus that most sexually-active individuals are likely to encounter at some point in their lives.

Despite being highly preventable through HPV vaccination and regular screening, many women still delay seeking care. Barriers such as stigma, misinformation, fear, busy schedules and limited access to healthcare continue to prevent early action. The discussion emphasized the importance of breaking these barriers through education and more open conversations about reproductive health.

Dr. Cabrera underscored that prevention is one of the most powerful investments a woman can make in her future. She and other speakers highlighted that preventive care goes beyond clinic visits — it also includes building healthy lifestyle habits, managing stress, staying informed, getting vaccinated and undergoing regular screening even before symptoms appear.