Senator wants National Immunization Program implementation probed
Sen. Joel Villanueva —Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines — A resolution seeking to probe the implementation of the National Immunization Program in light of high vaccine hesitancy rates and reemergence of polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases in the country has been filed in the Senate.
In his Senate Resolution No. 1334, Sen. Joel Villanueva said from 2024, the Department of Health has set a target of 95 percent full immunization coverage for children under five years old.
However, Villanueva pointed out that data in recent years show that this target remains unmet due to multiple factors including supply chain issues, logistical gaps, and public mistrust.
“As of January 2025, the DOH’s partial Field Health Services Information System data for 2024 showed that only 61 percent of 1,459,353 out of 2,392,392 eligible children in the Philippines are fully immunized,” said the senator.
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He said this particularly puts the vulnerable population at a “continued risk from vaccine-preventable diseases” such as pertussis, diphtheria, and measles.
Meanwhile, Villanueva pointed out that despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, the country continues to experience high vaccine hesitancy, attributed to “lingering mistrust from previous vaccine controversies, the spread of misinformation, and the insufficient reach of government-led awareness and communication campaigns.”
“The consequences of low vaccination rates and high vaccine wastage are far-reaching and alarming, posing significant public health risks, undermining herd immunity, reversing gains achieved in the elimination of deadly infectious diseases, and resulting in considerable financial losses for the government,” he said.
With this, the lawmaker said there is a pressing need to address these systematic gaps and improve the vaccine confidence in the country, possibly by crafting responsive health policies and programs to ensure the protection of every Filipino.
