More than 630,000 young children in Cebu and Bohol are being targeted in a three-week vaccination campaign aimed at strengthening protection against measles and rubella.
The Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7), in partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government, launched the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) on Monday, Aug. 10.
The campaign, which runs until Aug. 28, targets children aged 6 to 59 months, including those who may have missed doses under the routine immunization program.
Dr. Faith Curaraton, DOH 7 Regional National Immunization Program medical coordinator, said the supplemental campaign is intended to provide additional protection to eligible children.
In Cebu, vaccination activities will be conducted across cities and municipalities, reaching communities at the barangay level.
Curaraton urged parents and guardians to have their eligible children vaccinated, emphasizing the safety and effectiveness of the free intervention.
“It is free, it is safe, it is effective. Mao ra gyud na amoang mahatag sa mga bata para ma-protektahan sila,” she said during the regional launching at the Capitol Social Hall. (It is free, it is safe, it is effective. That is what we can give the children to protect them.)
The campaign, dubbed “Ligtas Tigdas 2026,” carries the theme “Bakuna at proteksyon ni baby, atong responsibility,” underscoring the role of families and health workers in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Cebu Provincial Government is supporting the campaign by deploying health facilities and personnel to reach eligible children across the province.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro earlier issued Executive Order No. 40 creating the Provincial Immunization Task Force to strengthen coordination and implementation of vaccination activities in Cebu.
“Every vaccination is not simply a number added to our accomplishment. Behind that number is a child we are protecting, a parent we are giving peace of mind, and a family we are helping keep safe,” Baricuatro said.
She said the province should work to prevent children from developing diseases that can already be prevented through vaccination.
“Our goal should be simple: No Cebuano child should suffer from a disease that we already have the means to prevent,” the governor said.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Sheila Faciol said the Capitol’s 16 provincial and district hospitals will be mobilized as vaccination sites, along with rural health units in Cebu’s cities and municipalities.
Barangay health workers will help identify and register eligible children, while the Provincial Health Office will coordinate with DOH 7 and local health offices throughout the campaign.
The vaccination drive comes amid a reported increase in measles and rubella cases nationwide. DOH data showed that cases increased by 32 percent in 2025 from the previous year, with unvaccinated children accounting for 73 percent of reported cases.
Measles and rubella, commonly called tigdas, are airborne and highly contagious diseases. Symptoms may include fever, cough, colds, conjunctivitis, rashes and swollen lymph nodes, or “lusay.”
The diseases can also lead to severe complications and death, particularly among vulnerable children.
Health authorities are urging parents and guardians to have eligible children vaccinated during the three-week campaign as part of efforts to strengthen community protection against measles and rubella.
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