The Cebu Provincial Government has created a task force to oversee the implementation of the 2026 Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA), aiming to strengthen coordination and improve vaccination coverage across the province.
Governor Pamela S. Baricuatro established the Provincial Immunization Task Force (ITF) through Executive Order No. 40, which designates the body as the primary coordinating, supervisory and decision-making group for the 2026 MR-SIA and other immunization-related programs in Cebu.
Signed on July 15, 2026, the order cited the government’s responsibility to protect and promote the public’s right to health, as well as the recognition of immunization as an essential public health service under Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act.
The Department of Health (DOH), through the National Immunization Program, will conduct the 2026 MR-SIA to address immunity gaps, prevent measles transmission, and reduce illnesses and deaths among children, according to the executive order.
The DOH has directed regional offices and local government units to establish an Incident Management System and Immunization Task Force to ensure proper planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the nationwide vaccination campaign.
The EO also emphasized the need for a whole-of-government approach involving component cities and municipalities, barangays, national government agencies, civil society organizations, development partners and the private sector to achieve higher immunization coverage.
The Provincial ITF will be chaired by Baricuatro, while Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Sheila C. Faciol will serve as vice chairperson.
The task force is mandated to ensure the successful implementation of the MR-SIA in Cebu while strengthening coordination among provincial offices, local government units, national agencies and other stakeholders involved in the campaign.
It will also oversee improvements in campaign planning, logistics, vaccine management, surveillance, monitoring and reporting systems, while promoting public confidence through risk communication and community engagement.
The Provincial ITF will formulate policies, operational guidelines and standard procedures for immunization activities and align provincial strategies with DOH policies. It will also provide technical guidance, review preparedness plans, mobilize resources, monitor implementation and recommend measures to improve vaccination coverage.
To support the campaign, Executive Order No. 40 created seven sub-task groups with specific responsibilities.
These are the Planning and Technical Support Group; Coordination, Local Partnership and Service Delivery Group; Budget, Finance and Procurement Management Group; Supply Chain, Logistics and Transportation Group; Data Management, Monitoring and Reporting Group; Surveillance and Response Group; and Risk Communication and Community Engagement Group.
The Planning and Technical Support Group, led by Faciol, will oversee campaign planning, monitoring and evaluation, establish the Provincial ITF Operations Center, ensure compliance with health policies, and monitor vaccine availability and logistics.
Other sub-task groups will focus on coordinating with local governments and stakeholders, managing funds and procurement, ensuring vaccine storage and transportation, maintaining data systems, monitoring vaccine-preventable diseases and adverse events following immunization, and leading information campaigns.
The executive order also designates the Provincial Health Office as the secretariat of the Provincial ITF, tasked with providing administrative, technical, documentation and logistical support for the task force’s operations.
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