Cancer patients in the Visayas are set to experience a positive shift in how they receive lifesaving treatments, following anew strategic partnership between Cebu Doctors University Hospital (CDUH) and Roche (Philippines) Inc. The collaboration introduces the Roche Access Program Plus (RAP Plus), a comprehensive patient enablement model designed to dismantle the logistical and financial barriers that frequently hinder patients from completing their oncology care.
By integrating the medication supply chain directly into the CDUH infrastructure, the partnership ensures that advanced oncology treatments are readily available at the hospital pharmacy or delivered straight to the Oncology Unit. This structural change eliminates the “burden of logistics” that often falls on the shoulders of grieving or exhausted families.
Dr. Jose Antonio Quiteves, CDUH Assistant Medical Director, Chairman Clinical Governance Board and Director Medical Education Program highlighted the profound impact this shift will have on the patient experience. “For too long, patients and their families have had to act as their own logistics managers,” Dr. Quiteves stated. “They scour the city for specialized medicines; they worry about authentic sourcing; they carry temperature-sensitive vials in coolers through the Cebu heat, terrified that a few degrees of difference might compromise their cure. Today, we work together to end that burden.”
The RAP Plus program at CDUH introduces several critical benefits: Guaranteed Treatment Integrity: By housing medications directly within the hospital, the partnership protects the “cold chain,” ensuring that every vial remains authentic, potent, and uncompromised from the laboratory to the bedside.
Enhanced Affordability
The program incorporates direct discount schemes and “Free of Charge” (FOC) cycles for high-impact medications, providing sustainable long-term value for patients undergoing extended treatment plans.
Streamlined Patient Journey
A new digital enrollment process cuts through traditional red tape, allowing doctors to focus on clinical care and patients to begin their treatments without unnecessary administrative delays.
Localized Access
As the first RAP site in Cebu, CDUH now offers a level of oncology support previously difficult to find outside of Metro Manila, allowing patients to remain close to their support systems during recovery.
Dr. Diana Edralin, General Manager of Roche Philippines, noted that the philosophy of the partnership is simple: “The patient should no longer have to hunt for the medicine. The medicine should be waiting for the patient.”
While the benefits are immediate, the partnership was formalized during a ceremonial signing on February 13, 2026, attended by CDUH leadership, including Hospital Administrator Mrs. Chadelsa Binondo, Assistant Medical Director Dr. Jose Antonio Quiteves, Corporate Administrator Mrs. Edna Jocelyn Caballero and prominent oncologists. The event served to cement what Dr. Edralin described as a “new, permanent standard of care” for the region.
“This signing signifies a shift toward a resilient, sustainable model for private oncology care,” Dr. Edralin added. “We are embedding access into the very DNA of your operations. We are proud to stand with Cebu Doctors University Hospital to ensure that no patient fights cancer alone or without the best possible resources.” The collaboration marks a milestone in decentralizing high-quality healthcare in the Philippines, positioning CDUH as a premier hub for compassionate, modern oncology services in the Visayas.
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