MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ Proclamation No. 4, July 29, 1998 ]
DECLARING THE PERIOD FROM SEPTEMBER 16 TO OCTOBER 14, 1998 AS THE “LIGTAS TIGDAS MONTH” AND LAUNCHING THE PHILIPPINE MEASLES ELIMINATION CAMPAIGN
WHEREAS, more than 3,000 Filipino children die every year due to measles and its complications and more than 12,000 others suffer the effects of the infection;
WHEREAS, there exists a very potent and effective vaccine to prevent measles and that immunization has been proven to be the most cost-effective way to prevent transmission of many illnesses;
WHEREAS, treating measles or its complications costs the health care delivery system about 45 million pesos a year;
WHEREAS, mass measles vaccination of children has been demonstrated to be an effective way to eliminate this disease;
WHEREAS, the Philippines is the first country in the Western Pacific Region which is ready to undertake mass measles vaccination targeting more than 26 million children;
WHEREAS, such an ambitious campaign necessitates wide and sustained multi-sectoral collaboration by every organization, agency and citizen;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, hereby declare the period from September 16 to October 14, 1998 as the “Ligtas Tigdas Month” and the beginning of a nationwide campaign against measles called the Philippine Measles Elimination Campaign with the goal of “zero” measles by the Year 2008. Free measles vaccines shall be given to all children currently residing in the Philippines between the ages of nine (9) months to less than fifteen (15) years.
Active multi-sector involvement is hereby urged to ensure the success of this campaign, primarily from the following agencies, organizations and their heads:
1. The local government units: to lead the local implementation of the campaign, exerting special effort to encourage every family to have their children immunized so that 100% of the target children are vaccinated. This will mean active masterlisting of all targeted children, provision of locally needed supplies such as cotton balls, ice, travelling expenses and food for vaccinators, and deployment of health center staff in each school and barangay to provide the vaccination within the Ligtas Tigdas Month.
2. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports: to exert all efforts in informing all parents and guardians of target school children about the purposes and benefits of the Philippine Measles Elimination Campaign so that they will agree to have their children vaccinated in all schools, preschools, colleges and universities, both public and private. Also, adequate number of days (between 1-3 days) within the Ligtas Tigdas Month should be set aside for measles vaccination in each school. The actual dates of vaccination shall be coordinated with the local health center staff.
3. The Department of the Interior and Local Government: to exert all efforts to mobilize its field officers to disseminate the purposes and benefits of the campaign and the roles and responsibilities of the local government executives, including the monitoring and submission of timely and complete reports pertaining to the campaign.
4. The Department of Health: to lead the national implementation of the campaign (a) by mobilizing resources to provide all the essential supplies, such as vaccines, needles and syringes, disposable supplies collector boxes, forms and information, education, communication materials; and (b) by formulating and disseminating all the necessary detailed guidelines and procedures on the various components of the campaign, including follow-up mass vaccinations, measles surveillance and others, and (c) by coordinating all national and regional activities pertaining to the campaign. As lead agency, the DOH may call on the assistance of any government or non-government agency, civic and religious groups, international organizations and industrial establishments and other concerned sectors to achieve the goals of the campaign and ensure its success.
5. Other government agencies and non-government organizations: to actively participate in all aspects of the campaign.1aшphi1
To ease the burden for parents and guardians of targeted children, government-employed parents and guardians of children within the target age range of 9 months to less than 15 years old shall be entitled to one (1) half-day leave with pay when they bring their children for measles vaccination during the Ligtas Tigdas Month.
Likewise, any individual employed in government who desires to volunteer either as vaccinator or health educator/recorder for the campaign shall be allowed to render this service as the equivalent of her/his work with due concurrence by the head of the offices concerned.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.
Done in the City of Manila, this 29th day of JULY in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety eight.
(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
By the President:
(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary
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