Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire appealed for an additional P400 million funding to strengthen the agency's anti-cervical cancer immunization program and expand the vaccination coverage among 4th grade public school girls across the Philippines.

Discussion commenced when Senator JV Ejercito asked the Health Department for updates on the agency's anti-cervical cancer immunization program also known as HPV immunization program.

As a health champion in the Senate notable for pushing landmark health laws like the Universal Health Care Act and the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, Ejercito underscored the need for cancer prevention measures to be given priority.

Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Philippines and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. Human papillomavirus or HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer.

Vergeire explained that the current DoH budget for HPV vaccination only covers 15 regions, unfortunately not including Region 2 and MIMAROPA.

"Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in Filipino women. To address this issue, we have implemented an HPV vaccination program for 4th graders, targeting students aged 9 to 14 years old. Currently, this program is implemented in 15 regions, excluding Region II and Region IVB. We are seeking additional funding of more than $400 million to expand this initiative nationwide and provide the HPV vaccine to all 4th graders nationwide," Vergeire said.

In 2023, the DoH has acquired 1 million doses of anti-cervical cancer vaccines, targeting 500,000 girls aged 9-14. This accounts for nearly 38 percent of the school-age population nationwide. DoH's appeal for additional budget from the Senate and Congress aims to secure sufficient funding to reach the agency's targets for its vaccination program.

However, the 2024 National Expenditure Program has allocated only 750,000 doses of HPV vaccines — far short of the annual target of vaccinating one million of its target cohort. This budget cut could endanger the health of thousands of young girls who rely on government-supported HPV vaccination programs to protect against cervical cancer.

DoH has been partnering with the Department of Education and local government units to improve the rollout of its HPV vaccination program.

Meanwhile, Senator Pia Cayetano, senior vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, encouraged the DoH to continue strengthening its collaboration with DepEd to improve vaccination uptake in the country and strengthen cancer prevention campaigns in school setting.

"Simple informational materials will be especially helpful for those who need a second dose of the vaccine," said Senator Cayetano. "If you (DoH) work with DepEd, they will be the ones to help educate the parents of these students."

The DepEd directs all schools that are implementing face-to-face classes to resume the delivery of school-based health services to learners, which includes immunization.

Prior to administering the vaccine, parents' consent must first be obtained by school officials. That is why vaccination education campaigns usually highlight the role of parents in fortifying the health shield of their children through timely vaccination against disease.