Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, March 25 renewed his call for the public to exercise vigilance as the country wrestles against the outbreak of pertussis in some parts of Metro Manila.

Commonly known as whooping cough, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography urged Filipinos to continue voluntarily wear face masks and called for increased government intervention and community cooperation to stop the spread of the disease and prevent fatalities.

Outbreaks have been declared in Quezon City, with 23 confirmed cases and several infant deaths. Pasig City also reported 17 cases, prompting local governments to initiate necessary public health responses.

These include mapping out vaccination efforts and assuring the public of the availability of vaccines and post-exposure prophylaxis.

"Napakahalaga ng pagiging alerto at pagtugon ng gobyerno sa paglaban sa pertussis. Ang sakit na ito, lalo na sa mga sanggol at bata, ay hindi dapat balewalain (Being vigilant is so important and the government’s response against the disease is likewise important. This disease, especially for infants and young children, should not be shrugged off),” Go said.

“Dapat tayong magkaisa at maging proactive sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon at pagtiyak na may sapat na gamot para sa lahat (We need to be united and be proactive in disseminating information and ensuring we have sufficient medicines for everyone),” the lawmaker said.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, infectious diseases expert and president of the Philippine College of Physicians, Dr. Rontgene Solante, echoed the urgency of addressing the outbreak, advising vulnerable groups to wear face masks and get vaccinated against pertussis.

Go agreed and reiterated his appeal for Filipinos to voluntarily wear masks especially in public places.

“Tulad ng lagi kong payo, kung hindi naman sagabal sa inyo, ugaliing magsuot na ng mask upang proteksyunan ang sarili at ang ating pamilya (Just like what I always advise, if it’s not too inconvenient for you, make it a habit to wear face masks to protect ourself and our families),” Go said.

“Kahit wala na ang COVID-19, nandidiyan pa rin ang banta ng mga sakit na maaaring makahawa lalo na sa mga matatanda at bata. Hindi natin alam anong sakit ang maaari nating maiuwi sa bahay. Mabuti nang mag-ingat (Even though the Covid-19 pandemic has stopped, the threat of contagious diseases especially on the elderly and children is still here. We don’t know what kind of sickness we can bring to our home. It’s best to be cautious),” he said.

“Nagawa nating magsuot ng mask ng higit dalawang taon noong pandemya. Konting tiis lang ito upang makasalba ng buhay ng ating kapwa (We have done the wearing of face masks for two years during the pandemic. We can bear doing it again to save the lives of our fellowmen),” Go stressed.