14/08/2026
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐.
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐.
NNC Caraga Joins the Nation in Observing National Adolescent Immunization Month
Adolescence is a crucial stage of growth and development. According to the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (2026), adolescents are individuals 10โ19 years old. During this period, the body grows rapidly, requiring more energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support physical growth, brain development, and a stronger immune system.
Good nutrition and timely immunization go hand in hand. While a healthy diet helps strengthen the body's natural defenses, vaccines provide protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. This National Adolescent Immunization Month, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Caraga encourages parents, guardians, schools, and communities to support healthy eating habits together with routine vaccination, catch-up immunization, and booster doses to help adolescents stay healthy, active, and ready for the future.
๐กDID YOU KNOW?
๐ Missed a Vaccine? It's Not Too Late!
If your child missed a scheduled vaccine, catch-up immunization can still provide protection against serious diseases. Together with proper nutrition, completing missed vaccines helps adolescents build stronger protection against illness.
๐ Did you know?
5,123 measles and rubella cases were reported in the Philippines in 2025โa 32% increase from the previous year (Villanueva, 2026).
In Caraga, the proportion of children aged 12โ23 months who received all basic vaccines increased from 64.4% in 2022 to 71.5% in 2025, while the number of children with no vaccination declined from 13.0% to 4.6% (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], 2026).
Completing missed vaccines is one of the best ways to keep adolescents healthy and in school.
๐ฉบ Good Nutrition + Booster Shots = Stronger Protection
As adolescents grow, their bodies need more energy, protein, iron, calcium, and other nutrients to support rapid growth and immune function. Some childhood vaccines also require booster doses because protection naturally decreases over time.
๐ Did you know?
Around 21.5% of Filipinos are adolescents (World Health Organization Philippines, 2018).
Eligible adolescents may receive Td (Tetanus-Diphtheria) boosters, MMR (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) catch-up vaccines, and HPV(Human Papilloma) vaccines through the National Immunization Program. (Department of Health [DOH], 2023)
A balanced diet and updated immunizations help adolescents grow stronger and stay protected.
๐ก๏ธ Myth vs. Fact: Vaccines Are Safe
โ Myth: Eating healthy is enough to prevent all infectious diseases.
โ
Fact: Good nutrition helps keep the immune system strong, but it cannot replace vaccines. Vaccination trains the immune system to recognize and fight specific diseases, providing protection that nutrition alone cannot offer.
๐ Did you know?
According to the World Health Organization [WHO] (2026), vaccination prevents an estimated 3.5 to 5 million deaths every year worldwide.
In the Philippines, the ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer (2023) purported that around 4,052 women die from cervical cancer each yearโa disease that HPV vaccination can help prevent.
Healthy food builds a strong body. Vaccines provide added protection against serious diseases. Together, they help adolescents thrive.
Vaccination and Good Nutrition protects you, your family, and your community.
Together, Let's Protect Every Adolescent
Healthy adolescents are better prepared to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential. This National Adolescent Immunization Month, let us support healthy eating, active lifestyles, and timely immunization so every adolescent can grow into a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Filipino.
Because good nutrition and complete immunization work best together.
References:
Department of Health. (2023, August). Booklet 1: The National Immunization Program (National Immunization Program Manual of Operations). Department of Health, Philippines.https://doh.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Booklet-1-The-National-Immunization-Program.pdf
ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer. (2023). Philippines: Human papillomavirus and related cancers, fact sheet 2023.https://hpvcentre.net/statistics/reports/PHL_FS.pdf
Villanueva, G. (2026, January 12). Measles-rubella cases rose by 32% last year โ DOH. Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2166792/measles-rubella-cases-rose-by-32-last-year
World Health Organization. (2026). Vaccines and immunization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization
World Health Organization Philippines. (2018). Adolescents are young people between the ages of 10 and 19 years. In the Philippines, adolescents comprise 21.5% of the country's population. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/whophilippines/photos/adolescents-are-young-people-between-the-ages-of-10-and-19-years-in-the-philippi/1763121623801102/
World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. (2026, March 15). Adolescent health. https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/adolescent-health
๐๏ธ | Kirk Patrick S. Saan, SND, NOIII LVPV, & PDOI JIA
๐จ | Jay Marc B. Rubillos, SND, NOIII LVPV, & PDOI JIA