ORMOC CITY – An ordinance known as “Bakuna Champion Ordinance of Ormoc City” was approved by this city’s 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on September 15, 2025.
The primary purpose of said ordinance is to safeguard the health and well-being of children from all forms of vaccine-preventable diseases through the full implementation of the National Immunization Program (NIP) in the City Government of Ormoc and to ensure that parents recognize the rights of every child to survival and full health development. It was authored by Sangguniang Panlungsod Member (SPM) Edmund B. Kierulf and co-authored by SPM Burt J. Pades.
The City Government of Ormoc, under said ordinance, recognizing the vital role of Bakuna Champions in addressing vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers, is tasked to uphold their right to organize, ensure their access to appropriate mechanisms and resources that will enhance their service to communities, and provide opportunities that support their professional growth and development.
Accordingly, the number of children eligible for immunization has steadily increased from 4,739 in 2019 to 5,774 in 2024. This growth suggests that Ormoc City faces increasing coverage in providing immunization services to a growing child population.
Under Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act of 2018, it is the policy of the State to promote an integrated and comprehensive approach to health, directing local government units to adopt effective health promotion programs, particularly those that address key health risks and strengthen immunization efforts. Moreover, Republic Act No. 10152, known as the Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act of 2011, requires the government to provide a comprehensive, mandatory, and sustainable immunization program for all infants and children. This includes protection against diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B, and other illnesses as may be identified by the Department of Health (DOH).
The law further mandates that these basic immunizations be provided free of charge at any government health facility to children up to five years old. Thus, to attain the DOH’s target of 95% immunization coverage for fully immunized children, there is a pressing need for enhanced efforts at the local level to increase public trust in vaccines and ensure access to immunization services; and under Ormoc’s ordinance, establishing a barangay-based volunteer health worker as a bakuna champion responsible for increasing vaccination coverage can bridge gaps by addressing vaccine hesitancy, offering reliable information, and guiding families to vaccination sites and ensuring vaccination. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail SEPTEMBER 15-21, 2025 issue)
