AN EXASPERATED Senator Alan Peter Cayetano lashed at what he described as incompetence of the leadership of the Department of Health in procuring and distributing routine vaccines for children and flu vaccines for the elderly, whose lives are being endangered by the non-administration of these drugs to build their immunity to these preventable diseases.
In Tuesday night’s hearing for DoH’ s 2026 budget, Cayetano angrily claimed that the DoH has repeatedly been unable – because of its incompetence and sheer lack of direction– to deliver such vaccines to the targeted beneficiaries for free.
He said the DoH delivers such vaccines either “late, kulang or nearing expiration.”
When told by the health committee chair, Alan’s sister, Sen. Pia, that DoH has problems with the bidders, the minority leader fumed “ganyan ba kayong kahina, hindi nyo kayang slap ang mga bidders sa mukha para umayos sila.”
He said the routine vaccines for kids (MMR, for mumps, measles and rubella; rotavirus, hepatitis B, chickenpox, and influenza, along with vaccines that protect against bacterial infections such as DPT or diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and pneumococcal disease) are covered by annual budgets but they come either late or near expiration.
The flu vaccines for the elderly are flu, COVID-19, RSV, and pneumococcal vaccines to protect against respiratory illnesses and other important inoculations for shingles, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap). Some travel vaccines for the aged who may be traveling would depend on their destination and this is usually done by private hospitals and clinics.
He added that those who have financial means get their vaccines from private clinics and hospitals, to the detriment of the majority of Filipinos who cannot afford an additional burden.
Cayetano said if the DoH is incapable in handling the procurement, distribution and administration of important inoculants for children and the elderly, then let the senate and the local government units do it. Most of the LGUs in the country have been deprived of such important protection against preventable diseases, which is concentrated in the nincompoop agency.
REQUIRED VACCINES
Routine childhood immunizations in the Philippines are provided free of charge through the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and protect against diseases like polio, measles, tetanus, and diphtheria. Key vaccines include BCG and Hepatitis B at birth, followed by doses of Pentavalent, Oral Polio, and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCV) at specific months, with Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) given later in infancy and early childhood.
At birth, the required vaccines under the DoH EPI program are BCG to prevent tuberculosis and Hepa B given within 24 hours of birth; at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, the pentavalent vaccines (DPT, oral polio vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to prevent pneumonia and meningitis must be administered.
Other recommended vaccines are: Inactive Polio Vaccine given at 14 weeks, MMR, Rotavirus, Varicella against chickenpox and Japanese encephalitis are also needed.
The US Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization under Passport Health program require these vaccines for those coming from the Philippines: typhoid, hepa A, polio, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya, rabies and Hepa B.
ANTI-RABBIES JABS
On November 2, this paper wrote about the fake anti rabies vaccines being distributed by the DoH.
Related story: https://thephinsider.net/doh-distributing-fake-anti-rabies-vaccines/
Vaccine hesitancy, which was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, could be attributed to factors like trypanophobia (intense fear of medical procedures with needles) and concerns on vaccine safety following the death of 14 children who were injected with Dengvaxia vaccines bought by the DoH using public funds.
After 10 years, the DOH didn’t seem to learn from the Dengvaxia nightmare amid reports on the proliferation of fake anti-rabies vaccines being distributed to the LGUs.
If reports are true, there’s no way for Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to find a valid excuse to avoid legal repercussions arising from the procurement of the so-called Purified Chick Embryo Cell Culture Rabies Vaccine (or Vaxirab N for brevity).
Being a doctor, Herbosa is aware that consumption of fake medicines or vaccines pose great risks.
REPEATED WARNINGS
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has been giving stern warnings against “purchase and use of counterfeit versions” of Vaxirab N.
The first advisory against the fake Vaxirab N came out on June 4 2024, November 13, 2024 and December 9, 2024. For 2025, the FDA issued similar warnings last July 18, August 7, September 29, October 22 and October 28.
Despite these warnings, the DOH still procured (from its budget) Vaxirab N.
FAKE JABS INSERTIONS
While there is nothing wrong with buying anti-rabies vaccines, the glitch happens when “enterprising” people from the DOH mix fake Vaxirab N in the bulk of supplies being delivered to the LGUs, public hospitals and health centers.
Worse, these “enterprising minions” are pulling one trick after another under Herbosa’s very nose. It’s either Herbosa is unaware or playing dumb about these atrocities.
PERSISTENT BLUNDERS
Since his appointment, Herbosa has figured in numerous blunders such as: the expiration of P11.5-billion worth of medicines and vaccines, the two-year lull in the treatment of tuberculosis, PhilHealth zero-subsidy, and ghost health centers, to name a few.
With fake vaccines being mixed in the bulk of legit Vaxirab N, Herbosa must pray hard that nobody gets killed by the fake anti-rabies vaccines being mishandled in DoH’s supply distribution.
Assuming nobody gets killed by the fake Vaxirab N, Herbosa would still be liable for violating Republic Act 9711 (Food and Drugs Administration Act of 2009) and RA 8203 (Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs).
CALL FOR RESIGNATION
Amid these blunders, Herbosa should seriously consider the idea of stepping down, that is he still has delicadeza under his sleeves.
But Herbosa should bear in mind that resigning doesn’t mean absolution.