The Department of Health (DOH) said more than 1 million children in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been vaccinated against measles and German measles.

As of 23 January 2026, the DOH reported that the figure represents 36 percent of its target population of 2.8 million children aged 6 to 59 months, or under five years old, under Phase 1 of the DOH’s Ligtas Tigdas initiative.

“Vaccination is a way to prevent a child from getting sick. Because if a child is vaccinated with TIGDAS, most likely he will not be hospitalized if he has a broken pneumonia. So the complications that can prevent tigdas,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said.

“The TIGDAS vaccine, or the measles vaccine, has been licensed since 1963. This is one of the longest-running vaccines, and it is really safe,” he added.

Herbosa also cited studies showing that up to 15 million deaths worldwide could be prevented through childhood vaccination.

The health chief expressed gratitude to the Muslim community, particularly imams, for helping explain that the vaccines are halal and for supporting information campaigns through short videos highlighting their safety and effectiveness.

For post-vaccination care, the DOH advised giving paracetamol if needed and applying ice or cold packs to the injection site to help ease pain. The agency also debunked the myth that people should not bathe after vaccination, saying it is safe to do so.

Parents were encouraged to closely monitor their children after vaccination, while the DOH assured the public that health facilities are ready to address any complications that may arise.