ILOILO – The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is urging parents to have their children vaccinated against potentially deadly but preventable diseases.
The government is rolling out its school-based immunization program, “Bakuna Eskwela,” in public schools from October to December 2026.
The campaign, jointly implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DepEd), targets Grade 1, Grade 4, Grade 5 and Grade 7 learners for protection against measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Dr. Rodney Labis, head of the IPHO Health Service Delivery Division, said Grade 1 and Grade 7 learners will receive vaccines against measles, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria, while female learners in Grades 4 and 5 will be given HPV vaccines.
“The Bakuna Eskwela program aims to provide additional protection to our children against vaccine-preventable diseases or dangerous illnesses that can be avoided through vaccination. The HPV vaccine protects against types of human papillomavirus responsible for most cervical cancer cases,” Labis said.
He stressed the importance of vaccinating children at an early age, particularly against HPV, to allow their bodies to develop immunity before possible exposure to the virus later in life.
Cervical cancer remains one of the most common cancers among women but is also among those that can be prevented through HPV vaccination and regular cervical cancer screening at appropriate healthcare facilities.
Labis assured parents that the vaccines administered under Bakuna Eskwela have long been used in the Philippines and other countries, with their safety and effectiveness supported by extensive scientific evidence.
He added that health experts, including the Philippine Pediatric Society in Iloilo, recommend the vaccines as essential protection against serious infectious diseases./PN
