Clinical Skills Training: Advancing Cervical Cancer Elimination in GIDA and Underserved Areas of Northern Iloilo

January 19–24, 2026 | Solina Beach and Nature Hotel, Northern Iloilo

From January 19 to 24, 2026, a five-day Clinical Skills Training was successfully conducted at Solina Beach and Nature Hotel, bringing together doctors and frontline health leaders committed to improving women’s health outcomes across Northern Iloilo and Western Visayas.

While cervical cancer elimination remains the ultimate end goal, the core focus of the training was competency-building—equipping healthcare providers with the practical skills needed to deliver better care for women’s cancers through early screening and timely, appropriate treatment. By strengthening frontline competencies, the program ensures that elimination targets are approached through quality, consistency, and readiness at the point of care.

This activity directly supports the ongoing SUCCESS-FAP initiative, with special emphasis on Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) and Unserved and Underserved Areas (UUA), where gaps in access and trained human resources continue to affect women’s health.

Grounding Skills Where They Matter Most: GIDA and UUA

The training was intentionally designed around the realities of remote, island, and rural communities. Rather than focusing solely on end targets, the program centered on building the competencies that enable better care—from recognizing early disease, performing appropriate screening, initiating timely treatment such as thermal ablation, and navigating referral pathways when higher-level care is needed.

This competency-first approach aligns with the SUCCESS-FAP vision: strengthen local capacity so women can receive quality cancer care closer to home, without unnecessary delays or missed opportunities for early intervention.

Hosted in Partnership, Anchored on SUCCESS-FAP

The event was implemented by Provincial Health Office with the three municipalities of Carles, Estancia and Lemery, with collaborating partner Cancer Warriors Foundation and technical guidance from the Region 6 DOH Center for Health Development with UNITAID and Expertise France as developement partners with trainors led by Dr. Cecilia Llave – Expertise France Technical Advisor, Dr Arnold Liwag from the Western Visayas Medical Center and others experts from both national and regional institutions (see list below), translating policy commitments into hands-on, clinic-ready competencies under the SUCCESS-FAP framework.

What Is Clinical Skills Training?

Clinical Skills Training is a structured, competency-based education program designed to equip healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, and midwives—with the practical abilities, sound clinical judgment, and professional attitudes required for safe, effective, and confident patient care.

For this training, the focus areas included:

Cervical cancer screening and elimination strategies, grounded in early detection
Breast cancer screening, strengthening women’s cancer services beyond the cervix
Thermal ablation for eligible cervical pre-cancer lesions, emphasizing timely treatment
Referral pathways and continuity of care, especially critical in GIDA and UUA settings

Rather than purely theoretical lectures, the program emphasized hands-on demonstrations, mentorship, and case-based discussions, ensuring that competencies gained translate directly into improved care for women in everyday clinical settings.

Expert-Led, Mentor-Guided Learning

The training was guided by a multidisciplinary team with deep experience in both clinical care and public health implementation:

MASTER TRAINER
Dr. Cecilia Ladines-Llave – Technical Advisor, SUCCESS-FAP
NON-DOH MENTOR / FACILITATOR
Dr. Larraine Malabonga – Obstetrics and Gynecology
NON-DOH TRAINING COORDINATOR
Dr. Jessabeth Mercado – Obstetrics and Gynecology
TEAM LEADER
Dr. Arnold Liwag – Medical Specialist III, Western Visayas Medical Center
MENTORS / FACILITATORS
Dr. Aura Marie Tirasol – Western Visayas Medical Center
Dr. Vanessa Dolendo – Western Visayas Medical Center
Dr. Ninylyn Calicaran – Mentor and Facilitator
Mr. Daniel Subong – DOH Western Visayas CHD

Their guidance ensured that participants developed competencies that balance global standards with local feasibility, particularly for underserved communities.

Strong Participation from Provincial and Municipal Health Leaders

Participants included doctors from the Provincial Health Office and Municipal Health Offices, alongside municipal physicians from Carles, Estancia, and Lemery. This mix enabled discussions on shared care models, practical referral solutions, and task-sharing, all essential to improving women’s cancer care in GIDA municipalities.

Also present was Dr. Jesus Randy “Bogs” Rivera, representing the Cancer Warriors Foundation, reinforcing the link between clinical training, advocacy, and community-level implementation.

Witnessed and Supported by Key Health Officials

The training was witnessed and supported by regional and provincial leaders, emphasizing institutional commitment to capacity-building:

Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon – Provincial Health Officer II
Dr. Rodney Labis – Provincial Health Officer I
Mr. John Richard Lapascua – Nurse V, Western Visayas Center for Health Development

Their presence highlighted recognition that competent frontline providers are central to achieving cervical cancer elimination.

Five Days of Immersive Learning and Collaboration

Across five intensive days, participants engaged in:

Supervised clinical demonstrations and skills practice
Case discussions reflecting real GIDA patient scenarios
Peer learning and close mentorship
Planning for sustainable service delivery and referral integration

The setting at Solina Beach and Nature Hotel fostered a focused yet collaborative environment—supporting reflection, learning, and professional connection.

Moving Forward

This Clinical Skills Training: Advancing Cervical Cancer Elimination in GIDA and Underserved Areas of Northern Iloilo underscores a critical principle: elimination is achieved not only through targets, but through competencies.

By investing in early screening skills, timely treatment capabilities, and stronger referral systems, the training builds a frontline workforce capable of delivering better care for women’s cancers today—while moving steadily toward cervical cancer elimination tomorrow.

Carles, CWF, Estancia, Latest News, Lemery