“Ongoing diay panag-bakuna ti measles… nu haan tayo nga aramiden ket outbreak tayo tatta nga year” – Kalinga PHO Tandingan on prevention of possible outbreak

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Despite maintaining low to zero measles cases in recent years, the Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO) is urging the provincial government to intensify efforts in encouraging iKalingas to get vaccinated, warning that failure to sustain immunization coverage could lead to a possible outbreak within the year.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children but can occur at any age, especially among those who are unvaccinated.

During the Provincial Energy Crisis Impact Task Force meeting on April 7 at the Golden Berries Hotel, PHO II Dr. Edward Tandingan emphasized the urgency of continuing measles vaccination efforts in the province.

“…ongoing en diay panagbakuna tayo ti measles. Masapol nga aramiden tayo tatta daytoy ta nu haan tayo nga aramiden ket ag-outbreak tayo tatta nga year, that’s why we are really looking into this,” he said.

Tandingan added that while Kalinga has recorded little to no cases in recent years, the situation in the region shows a concerning trend.

Based on data from the Department of Health (DOH) as of 2025, measles cases rose to over 5,000 nationwide—a significant increase compared to 2024—with further increases observed in the first quarter of 2026.

In the Cordillera, other provinces recorded higher numbers during the same period, including Benguet with four cases, and Abra and Apayao with two cases each. This indicates that transmission persists in nearby areas despite relatively low figures in Kalinga, which recorded at least one case.

During the nationwide measles outbreak in 2019, the province recorded 15 cases out of 680 region-wide—the highest publicly recorded in Kalinga—highlighting the potential for outbreaks when immunization gaps occur.

Meanwhile, Tandingan noted that rising supply chain costs could hinder supplemental measles immunization efforts. Despite having no recent cases, the OPHO is working to sustain this record and increase vaccination coverage.

“…amin nga supply chain ket nagtaas ti presyo and it will definitely affect our efforts in terms of supplemental immunization para ti kamuras. Agasem man nga awan ti cases tayo ti kamuras iti manu nga tawen tapos biglang magkakaroon ngayon. So we are trying to protect that and increase tayo kuma ti coverage tayo,” he said.