Manila: The city government has commenced the Ligtas Tigdas: Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA), aiming to vaccinate 19,358 children between the ages of 6 to 59 months. The initiative began on Monday with simultaneous vaccination efforts in barangays and additional Vitamin A supplements for eligible children.

According to Philippines News Agency, the citywide campaign was officially launched at SM City Legazpi, with children from various barangays receiving the measles-rubella vaccines. Mayor Hisham Ismail emphasized the importance of parental involvement in the campaign, urging parents, grandparents, and caregivers to ensure the vaccination of eligible children.

'It is very important, especially because vaccination depends on the parents. Our focus is on children aged 6 to 59 months, so we are reminding not the children but their parents, who are the ones responsible for having them vaccinated,' Ismail stated. He also highlighted that vaccination services are accessible at the City Health Office (CHO), through teams visiting barangays, and at designated sites such as the mall.

Parents and caregivers were reminded that the vaccination is free, and they were encouraged to bring eligible children to the nearest health center or coordinate with barangay health workers, nurses, or midwives. Dr. Francis Gerald Gomez, the CHO head, informed that the MR SIA is being conducted simultaneously across all barangays in the city.

Each barangay has a fixed vaccination venue for children on the masterlist to receive the vaccine. The CHO plans to conduct mop-up activities in the coming days, with health workers going house-to-house to reach eligible children who missed the initial vaccination activities. 'We will make sure that all 19,358 eligible children will be vaccinated,' Gomez assured.

During the launch, 300 children from three barangays were vaccinated -- 200 from Barangay Bitano, 50 from Barangay Bagumbayan, and 50 from Barangay 20-Cabangan. Parents who participated expressed gratitude for the free vaccination program. Bernadette Carretero from Barangay Bitano highlighted the importance of vaccination in protecting children against measles.

Jenny Cabigo of Barangay Washington Drive shared that the program provides peace of mind for parents, knowing their children are protected against measles. Similarly, Rica Gamboa of Barangay Bitano expressed that the vaccination program is crucial for the safety of their children, emphasizing its significance for parents.