DAVAO City Councilor Trisha Ann J. Villafuerte urged Dabawenyo parents to have their children vaccinated against measles and rubella following the Department of Health’s announcement of a regionwide immunization rollout.
Villafuerte, chair of the Committee on Health, said measles and rubella are preventable diseases that continue to pose serious health risks to children. She emphasized that vaccination has been proven to be safe and effective.
“I therefore call on our people, parents, guardians, and caregivers, to have their children immunized. Let us not wait for outbreaks before we act. Prevention is always better than cure,” Villafuerte said during her privilege speech on Monday, January 12, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The councilor also urged barangay leaders to spearhead grassroots immunization efforts. She said that on January 13, all 182 barangay captains in Davao City will undergo an orientation with the Department of Health (DOH) and the City Health Office (CHO).
“This is a critical step to fully mobilize our barangays to ensure accurate information and reach every household,” she said.
Villafuerte likewise called on daycare centers, child development centers, and child-minding facilities to actively support the campaign by encouraging parents to have children aged six years old and those who are under-immunized vaccinated.
She noted that institutions such as daycare centers are key community partners in safeguarding early childhood health. She added that the local government unit, barangays, and health workers must work together to protect children and secure a healthier future for them.
Rollout for Davao Region
Meanwhile, the Department of Health–Davao Region (DOH-Davao) announced a regionwide Measles-Rubella Immunization through a Supplemental Immunization Activity from January 19 to February 13, 2026.
The program aims to provide free vaccinations to children aged six to 59 months, regardless of prior immunization status, to address immunity gaps caused by missed routine vaccinations.
The DOH has deployed approximately 3.3 million vaccine doses to Mindanao in response to the rising number of zero-dose and under-immunized children, which increases the risk of outbreaks.
Number of measles-rubella cases
Nationwide, the DOH recorded 4,718 measles-rubella cases from January to mid-November 2025, a 37-percent increase compared to 2024. About 73 percent of the cases involved unvaccinated children, mostly those under five years old.
In Davao City, data from the City Health Office showed that measles cases among children decreased to one case in 2024, compared to two cases in 2023.
However, CHO data also revealed a decline in the city’s immunization rate, which stood at 62.9 percent in 2022, 65.4 percent in 2023, and dropped to 28 percent as of September 2024.
What are measles and rubella?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles is a highly contagious viral disease and remains one of the leading causes of death among young children worldwide, despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines.
Rubella, meanwhile, is a contagious viral infection that commonly affects children and young adults. Rubella infection in pregnant women can result in fetal death or serious congenital defects, collectively known as congenital rubella syndrome. RGP