More than one million children have already been vaccinated in the first week of the “Ligtas Tigdas” vaccination campaign in Mindanao, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Saturday, Jan. 24.

The figure accounts for more than a third of the target population for Phase 1 of the nationwide measles immunization drive.

On Jan. 19, the health department launched the Phase 1 of the “Ligtas Tigdas” or Measles-Rubella Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) in Mindanao, seeking to inoculate 2.8 million children aged five years old and below (6–59 months).

“Sa huling tala ng Department of Health kagabi, Jan. 23, 2026, umabot na sa mahigit isang milyong bata ang nabakunahan sa unang linggo ng DOH ‘Ligtas Tigdas’ sa Mindanao at Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao o BARMM (Based on the latest tally of the Department of Health last night, Jan. 23, 2026, more than one million children have already been vaccinated in the first week of the DOH ‘Ligtas Tigdas’ in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM),” DOH’s Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) Director Tina Marasigan said over the radio.

Marasigan said the tally already covers a substantial share of the target population for Phase 1 of the immunization drive.

“Thirty-six percent po ito ng 2.8 milyon ng batang edad anim hanggang 59 na buwang gulang o wala pang limang taon na target mabakunahan ng DOH sa Phase 1 ng DOH ‘Ligtas Tigdas’ (This is already 36 percent of the 2.8 million children aged six to 59 months, or under five years old, targeted by the DOH for Phase 1 of the ‘Ligtas Tigdas’),” she said.

Marasigan said Northern Mindanao recorded the highest turnout, with 230,000 children already vaccinated.

“Pinakamaraming nagpabakuna sa Northern Mindanao kung saan 230,000 na bata po ang pinabakunahan na ng kanilang mga magulang (The highest number of vaccinated children was recorded in Northern Mindanao, where 230,000 children have already been brought by their parents for vaccination),” Marasigan said.

“Kasabay ng bakuna para sa tigdas at tigdas hangin, nagbibigay rin po ang DOH ng Vitamin A sa mga bata (Along with the measles and rubella vaccines, the DOH is also providing Vitamin A to children),” she added.

The DOH official underscored the highly contagious nature of measles, warning that a single infected child can easily spread the virus to others who are unvaccinated.

“Ang isang batang may tigdas ay pwedeng makahawa po ng 16 na bata na wala pang bakuna (One child with measles can infect up to 16 unvaccinated children),” she said.

She stressed that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe complications and deaths from measles.

“Sa pamamagitan ng pagbabakuna, maiiwasan na ma-ospital o mamatay ang mga bata dulot ng tigdas (Through vaccination, children can be prevented from being hospitalized or dying due to measles),” Marasigan said.

Earlier, the health department said measles and rubella cases nationwide rose by 32 percent over the past year, with 5,159 cases recorded from Jan. 1, 2025 to Jan. 3, 2026, up from 3,901 cases in 2024.

DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said 73 percent of the recorded cases were among unvaccinated individuals, underscoring the need to boost routine and supplemental immunization coverage.