Tabuk City, Kalinga – Children in Kalinga who missed their routine measles and rubella vaccinations will have another opportunity to be protected as the Provincial Health Office (PHO) prepares to roll out a catch-up immunization campaign in August.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles and rubella are highly contagious viral diseases that spread through respiratory droplets released when an infected person—most commonly a child—coughs or sneezes.
Although both diseases commonly cause fever and rashes, they are caused by different viruses and can lead to different complications.
The WHO identifies measles as the more serious illness. It usually begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes before a rash develops and spreads across the body.
If left untreated, measles can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, permanent disability, and even death, particularly among young children.
To protect children from these vaccine-preventable diseases, the PHO will conduct the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) in August.
According to Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Edward Tandingan, the campaign targets children who missed their scheduled measles-rubella vaccinations in recent years, helping close immunization gaps and prevent the spread of these highly contagious diseases in the province.
The activity comes as health authorities continue to monitor the risk of measles outbreaks not only in Kalinga but across the country.
Although there are no publicly available figures on measles cases in Kalinga, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,188 measles cases nationwide in 2025, an 8-percent increase compared with 2024.
Why the campaign is needed
During the PIA-Kalinga Kapihan last week, attended by Guru Press Cordillera, Tandingan said the upcoming campaign is intended to catch up on missed vaccinations after measles-rubella immunization coverage declined over the past three years.
He warned that the drop in vaccination coverage has left more children vulnerable to infection, increasing the risk of an outbreak if those who missed their vaccines remain unprotected.
“Daytuy upcoming nga activity tayo, isu diyay makun kuna tayo nga catch-up activity. iti napalabas nga tallu nga tawen ket ti obserbasyon ket bumabba ngay jay coverage ti panag bakuna iti measles kin measles rubella… so over the past 3 years adda ti pool of susceptibles so adda ti possibility nga ag outbreak ket diyay ti iw iwasan tayo so we do the catch-up special immunization activity,” said Tandingan.
Parents urged to participate
Tandingan emphasized that parents and guardians play a vital role in protecting their children by taking advantage of the upcoming vaccination campaign and ensuring that eligible children receive their vaccines.
He added that every child vaccinated not only gains protection against measles and rubella but also helps strengthen the community's immunity against the diseases.
“Let us not waste the opportunity nga dagiyay haan pay nabakunaan ket mabakunaan da met…let’s do ourselves a favor by bringing our children and those who are eligible for MR-SIA supplemental immunization activity, mapan tayo am amin kuma tapnun mabakunaan kin ma protektaran dagituy apo kada ub ubbing ti Kalinga,” he added.
The MR-SIA forms part of the PHO's continuing efforts to protect Kalinga's children from vaccine-preventable diseases and reduce the risk of outbreaks in communities across the province.
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