TAGUIG CITY, Philippines —In many urban centers, women face a familiar dilemma: balancing work responsibilities with the need to access essential health services. Cervical cancer screening, critical for early detection and treatment, is often delayed or missed, particularly by women in the formal workforce who cannot easily take time off. A new workplace-based approach in Taguig City is helping close this gap by bringing lifesaving services directly to where women work and by redefining who delivers care.
Through the expanded Philippines Centralized Laboratory Model for HPV DNA Screening (CLAMS 2) Project, implemented by Jhpiego, the Taguig City Health Office is extending HPV DNA testing beyond traditional health facilities and into workplaces. Taguig City, the fifth-most populous city in the Philippines and a major economic hub in eastern Metro Manila, provides an important setting for innovations that link public health systems with private-sector employers.
The initiative reflects growing recognition that workplaces can serve as strategic touchpoints for secondary prevention of cervical cancer. By integrating screening into everyday work environments, the approach reduces access barriers, improves screening uptake, and supports earlier detection and treatment, key factors in lowering cervical cancer incidence and mortality.
Recently, Jhpiego introduced HPV DNA testing at Eight8Ate Holdings Inc., a fast-growing food and restaurant operator, and Team Pacific Corporation, a leading semiconductor assembly and test services provider based in the Philippines, both located in Taguig City. The effort is being implemented in partnership with the Taguig City Health Office and the Women Workers for Health Empowerment Network, highlighting the value of collaboration across government, civil society, and the private sector.
At the core of the initiative is an innovative shift in roles. Instead of relying solely on external health teams, workplace health providers, human resource personnel, and occupational health and safety officers within Eight8Ate Holdings Inc. and Team Pacific Corporation were trained to deliver high-quality, gender-transformative HPV DNA testing services. These staff members, already trusted within their organizations, now serve as workplace-based health champions.
Training emphasized both technical competence and respectful, rights-based service delivery. Workplace health champions shared clear information about HPV and cervical cancer, stressed the importance of timely screening, and supported women in making informed choices. With consent obtained, they guided women through self-collection while ensuring privacy, safety, and dignity.
For women workers, this model represents more than convenience. It affirms their right to health without forcing them to choose between income and care. As Rochelle Porras of the Women Workers for Health Empowerment Network noted, “When women can access screening in a space where they already feel secure and supported, it reinforces their dignity and their power to make informed decisions about their own bodies. Workplace-based services recognize women not just as workers, but as individuals whose health matters.”
From the employer’s perspective, the initiative shows that supporting employee health is both practical and impactful. By using existing human resource systems and safety protocols, companies can contribute to public health goals without disrupting operations. Camie Alcoran, Environment, Health, and Safety Officer at Eight8Ate Holdings Inc., shared, “This approach fits naturally into how we already care for our workforce. Supporting cervical cancer screening in the workplace is a practical way to promote well-being, and we’re proud to help protect the health of our women employees.”
The partnership with the Taguig City Health Office ensures alignment with local health systems. Samples collected through the program are processed through the centralized laboratory network established under CLAMS 2, maintaining quality while expanding reach and strengthening continuity of care.
For Jhpiego Philippines, the initiative represents a broader shift toward systems strengthening and scalability. By embedding cervical cancer screening within workplace structures, the model reaches women who may otherwise be missed by facility-based services.
As Dr. Ingrid Magnata, country program manager of Jhpiego Philippines, emphasized, “Transforming HR personnel and safety officers into partners for health is a powerful example of systems change. By working with local governments, civil society, and employers, we are building a scalable model that brings us closer towards accelerating cervical cancer global elimination goals.”
The effort at Eight8Ate Holdings, Inc. and Team Pacific Corporation marks the start of a series of similar workplace initiatives planned under CLAMS 2. As more employers participate, cervical cancer screening can become a routine part of workplace health and safety practices, allowing women to access quality, timely, and gender-transformative services without losing wages or time at work.
By meeting women where they are and empowering those already around them, the initiative shows how innovation, equity, and collaboration can come together to strengthen health systems and save lives.
