Camille Naredo

The Department of Health and Department of Education kicks off the revived Bakuna Eskwela program at the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Manila on October 7, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

The Department of Health and Department of Education kicks off the revived Bakuna Eskwela program at the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Manila on October 7, 2024. The program aims to immunize school-aged children against vaccine-preventable diseases to achieve healthy learning institutions. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Bakuna Eskwela Kickoff

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177201836807620241007-bakuna-eskwela-manila-MD-3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Department of Health and Department of Education kicks off the revived Bakuna Eskwela program at the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Manila on October 7, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Department of Health and Department of Education kicks off the revived Bakuna Eskwela program at the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Manila on October 7, 2024. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Emmie Liza Chiong on Wednesday asked the House Committee on Health to consider creating minor penalties for parents who “consciously neglect to give children protection from vaccine-preventable diseases.”</p><p>Chiong made the recommendation during the House panel’s hearing on bills for a mandatory immunization program, comprehensive maternal healthcare including immunization, and institutionalizing the implementation of the Immunization Agenda 2030, among others.</p><p>&quot;Consider including a provision of minor penalties for parents or caregivers who, after due notice, consciously neglects their duty to provide their children utmost protection from vaccine-preventable diseases,&quot; Chiong said while enumerating recommendations from the department. </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/1/6/doh-aims-to-immunize-over-10-million-filipino-children-from-measles-rubella-1416"><strong>DOH aims to immunize over 10 million Filipino children vs measles-rubella</strong></a></div><p>Chiong added that the country remains at high risk for vaccine-preventable diseases with the coverage of fully immunized children ranging from 60 to 70 percent from 2018 to 2022.</p><p>Chiong also recommended including provisions to streamline procurement of vaccines through the issuance of special permits. </p><p>According to DOH Immunization Program Manager Carmina Vera, the percentage of fully immunized children in the country in 2025 was at 64.27 percent or around 1.5-million children, which she said is “notably well below” the national target of 95 percent.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>VACCINE WASTAGE</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Kalinga Lone District Representative Caroline Agyao flagged supposed issues on vaccine wastage, adding some vaccines are left to expire. </p><p>Agyao added that there is a need for those from the DOH Central Office to look into the real situation concerning immunization among communities.</p><p>“Sana po ‘yung expiry din tingnan niyo. Talagang nakikita ho down the ground ang katotohanan po one month– parang sasabihin niyo, ‘Hindi. Ibigay niyo na, iturok niyo na ‘yan kasi mag-e-expire na the next week.’... Sa inyo sa taas, nakikita niyo– you just procure it. And then ‘pag nandoon na sa baba, talagang no choice ang mga ano. Kaya lang may mga na ayaw talaga ibibigay. So that’s a wastage. Sayang ang pera natin,” Agyao said. </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/12/06/22/ph-loses-p22-billion-from-wasted-covid-19-vaccines"><strong>Philippines may have lost P22 billion from wasted COVID-19 vaccines </strong></a> </div><p>“Kailangan ho na makita niyo rin ‘yung paano makarating doon sa pinakaliblib papuntang Batanes,” Agyao added.</p><p>The House bills on immunization programs were approved by the committee pending consolidation. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>AGGRESSIVE SCREENING FOR TB</strong></div><p>4K party-list Representative Iris Montes noted that there may be a need for more aggressive screening, testing, and contact tracing for tuberculosis.</p><p>According to the DOH’s Dr. Charisse Malbacias, their data on notifications or identified cases of tuberculosis back in 2024 was only at around 73 percent or over 500,000, while the World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimate was at around 724,000.</p><p>“Treatment coverage means how many were we able to find and treat compared to their estimates.. In 2024, we are at around 73 percent of the notifications in all forms of TB… So the estimate po kasi of WHO for 2024 is at around 724,000,” Malbacias said. </p><p>The DOH said they need approximately P22 billion in 2026 for their strategic plan to eliminate tuberculosis.</p><p>But just P4.2 billion was allocated under the national budget to fight tuberculosis. </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/11/17/cervical-cancer-vaccine-push-has-saved-1-4-million-lives-alliance-0811"><strong>Cervical cancer vaccine push has saved 1.4 million lives: alliance</strong></a></div><p>The Philippine Tuberculosis Society’s Dr. Camilo Roa Jr. acknowledged how there may be high funding requirements for the proposed laws, but he also cited a publication saying that for every dollar invested, there are at least four dollars gained back in enhancing efforts against tuberculosis.</p><p>Roa also appealed to lawmakers to give the DOH the budget needed for this.</p><p>House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Representative Mikaela Suansing said she is very supportive of increasing funding for programs to address tuberculosis and requested that the DOH prioritize this when they submit their proposed budget. </p><p>House bills seeking to strengthen the national program for the elimination of tuberculosis for consolidation as a substitute bill were approved by the House panel. </p>

<p>Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Emmie Liza Chiong recommended the House Committee on Health consider creating minor penalties for parents who “consciously neglect to give children protection from vaccine-preventable diseases.”</p>

Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Emmie Liza Chiong recommended the House Committee on Health consider creating minor penalties for parents who “consciously neglect to give children protection from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

DOH recommends minor penalties vs. parents who refuse to protect kids from vaccine-preventable diseases

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DOH recommends minor penalties vs. parents who refuse to protect kids from vaccine-preventable diseases

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 25, 2026 07:28 PM PHT

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