The Department of Health (DOH) is set to expand its National Immunization Program (NIP) after President Marcos instructed the agency to reach a higher fully immunized children goal and approved a 40-percent increase in budget from 2021 to the present.
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. presides over a sectoral meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Yummie Dingding / PPA Pool)
Palace press briefer Daphne Oseña-Paez said after the sectoral meeting between the President and the DOH on Tuesday, Sept. 17, that the agency received an increase of P2.3 billion from the fiscal year 2021 “to fund the vaccine acquisition and administration nationwide.”
“So mayroon tayong big catch-up tapos iri-restore natin iyong dati nating immunization rate at i-strengthen natin ang National Immunization Program. At ito ay gagawin natin starting October (So we have a big catch-up [to do] and we will restore our past immunization rate and strengthen our National Immunization Program. We will do this starting October),” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said during the Palace media briefing.
The DOH chief disclosed that Marcos approved the “full budget” he requested for the NIP when, in the past, only about 60 to 70 percent of the requested budget was granted.
“But this is the first time our President really allocated 7.9 billion para sa mga pambili lang ng bakuna po iyan (just to buy vaccines),” he shared, adding that there would still be money left for the program, health care allowances, and publicity.
In a Facebook post after the sectoral meeting, Marcos confirmed his directive to health agencies to expedite school-based immunization programs, noting the “well-being of our children is of the highest priority.”
“Rest assured, the Department of Health is taking every necessary measure to provide the safest vaccines available. Let’s protect the next generation for a more prosperous Bagong Pilipinas,” he wrote.
Oseña-Paez said the DOH and the Department of Education (DepEd) will launch on Oct. 7 a nationwide school vaccination program called “Bakuna-Eskwela” to encourage students in grade levels one, four, and seven to avail of free HPV, measles, Rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria vaccines.
Happening at the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School, the kick-off might also feature the President after Herbosa extended an invitation to him to lead the nationwide vaccination program.
The DOH chief, however, noted that although the kick-off will happen on Oct. 7, the vaccination program will continue for all Fridays of the month in all DepEd schools.
The program, Herbosa added, will also target zero dose children, or those who have not received a single dose of the vaccine.
While the Philippines is no longer among the top 20 of countries with zero dose vaccinated children in 2023 as opposed to it being ranked five in 2021, Oseña-Paez said Marcos underscored the need to focus on vaccinating children.
“President Marcos called for a strong media and publicity campaign in order to reach families, mothers, children and the youth about the benefits and necessity of required vaccines,” she added.
The overall theme, “Every Filipino Deserves a Shot at Life-long Protection,” of the NIP is also aligned with the vision of the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas, the official noted.