By Joyce Ann Rocamora | Philippine News Agency
The Department of Health (DOH) will begin its intensified vaccination campaign against measles (tigdas) and rubella (tigdas-hangin) in January 2026 through the Ligtas-Tigdas Vaccination program.
The first phase of the supplemental immunization activity will cover Mindanao and the Bangsamoro region from Jan. 19 to Feb. 13, while the second phase will extend to Luzon and Visayas in June.
“Through the Ligtas-Tigdas Vaccination, the DOH, together with local government units, will strengthen efforts to vaccinate children against measles and rubella to prevent child deaths from these diseases,” the agency said in a statement on Saturday.
The campaign will target children aged six months to five years.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can lead to serious complications and death.
In 2024 alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said at least 95,000 measles deaths were recorded globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of five.
In the Philippines, the DOH recorded 4,843 cases of measles-rubella in 2025, with 3,511 cases, or 73 percent, being unvaccinated. This is 29 percent higher than the 3,748 cases logged in 2024.
The three regions with the highest recorded number of cases are the National Capital Region with 1,027, the Bangsamoro Region with 768, and Calabarzon with 505.
The DOH also emphasized that vaccinations remain available year-round at designated health centers across communities. (PNA)
