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Senator Pia Cayetano reiterated her appeal to parents to have their children immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. "Vaccination saves lives. If you are a parent, and you have a choice to protect the life of your child, you will make that choice, right?" Cayetano asked reporters after meeting with local government leaders in Pampanga, where she talked about the importance of health, wellness, and sports in building sustainable communities. Cayetano is the principal sponsor of the country's basic law on routine vaccination, the "Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act of 2011" or Republic Act (RA) No.10152.
She narrated that years ago, she lost a child who was born with multiple disabilities due to a congenital condition called trisomy 13. She added that no vaccines or medicines, and not even the best doctors could save her baby. The lady lawmaker appealed to parents not to fall for baseless claims against vaccinations that are circulating in social media. "So please, huwag kayo makinig sa kung anu-anong pino-post sa Facebook, o sa Tiktok na hindi totoo laban sa pagpapabakuna. Nakakabuti po ang bakuna sa bata (Please don't believe false claims against immunization that are posted in Facebook or TikTok. Vaccines are good for our children),’’ she said. "My message is very simple. Mayroon po akong anak na namatay. Ang baby ko, mayroon siyang tinatawag na congenital disorder. Kahit anong galing ng doktor, kahit anong bakuna, kahit anong gamot, hindi kayang iligtas ang baby ko (I lost a child. My baby had a congenital disorder. Not even the best doctors, or vaccines and medicines could save his life),’’ she said. "Pero itong mga sakit na measles, rubella, polio, there are vaccines that can save a child’s life (But there are vaccines that can protect children from ailments like measles, rubella, and polio),’’ she stressed. "Kaya ginagamit kong example ang anak ko. Kahit anong gawin ko as a mother, hindi ko ma-save ang life niya kasi ang sakit niya, congenital. Pero yung mga sakit na nadadaan sa bakuna, may magagawa tayo,”  (That's why I use the story of my child as an example, because there was nothing I could do as a mother to save him. But for vaccine-preventable diseases, there is something we can do),’’ she added.