The Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. encourages the formation and organization of Local Chapters in major cities, provinces and first-class municipalities around the country. These Chapters are corporate members of the Society who are recognized as affiliate institutions of the Society.The primary goal of the PCS Local Chapter is to advance its corporate mission of “to advance knowledge on cancer, combat the spread of the disease and bring relief to those afflicted” in the local setting and assist the PCS in the implementation of its projects and programs in the local level.

Some guidelines for the formation of the Chapter include:

• Local Chapters are incorporated, subject to the provisions of the Corporation Code of the Philippines of the SEC and whose Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws are patterned after that of the Philippine Cancer Society, Inc.
• Local Chapters are chartered by the Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. to indicate formal admission as corporate member. The Charter shall bear the formal agreement entered into by the Local Chapter with PCS.
• Local Chapters are obligated to define its territorial jurisdiction, either politically or geographically, and must act in accordance with its own and the PCS By-Laws and other such directives by the PCS Board of Trustees.

The basic procedures in the application for Chapter Membership with PCS are:

1. Submit to the PCS Board of Trustees formal application for Chapter membership with pertinent documents such as list of of officers and members, SEC papers (to include Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws), and others;
2. PCS Board of Trustees refers application to Committee on Chapters. Committee meets with Chapter officers and conducts orientation and briefing seminar.
3. Committee on Chapters submits recommendation to PCS Board of Trustees. PCS Board approves application.
4. PCS schedules Charter presentation and induction of officers during PCS Annual Meeting or other appropriate time and venue.

The first PCS Division was established on 20 November 1971 at the N. L. Villa Memorial Hospital in Lipa City, in the province of Batangas, south of the capital Manila. Other divisions would be chartered and inaugurated in the succeeding years, including those of Cagayan, South Cotabato, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo (1975); Davao (1976); Quezon (1979); and General Santos (1980). In 2002, the PCS Board instituted measures to give chapters greater autonomy and flexibility.

Chartered in 2009 were the Baguio-Benguet Cancer Society and the Davao City Cancer Society.