BAGUIO CITY The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance mandating the submission of immunization records as additional requirements in enrolling in all pre-schools in the city, providing penalties and for other purposes.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Joel Alangsab states it shall be the policy of the local government to require the submission of immunization records as an additional requirement in enrolling in any pre-school operating in the city.
The ordinance added that it shall be the duty of the teacher, school administrator or principal to ensure the policy is strictly complied with and collate the submitted photo copy of the immunization records and submit the same to the nearest barangay heath center having territorial jurisdiction of the school.
Under the proposed ordinance, any teacher, school administrator or principal who fails to perform his or her assigned duty pursuant to the measure shall be penalized with a fine of P1,000 for the first offense, a line of P2,000 for the second offense and a fine of P5,000 or revocation of business license or permit if applicable for the third and succeeding offenses.
For juridical persons, violators will be slapped a fine of P2,000b for the first offense, a fine of P3,000 for the second offense and a fine of P5,000 and suspension or revocation of business license or permit if applicable for the third and succeeding offenses.
The ordinance tasked the City Health Services office in coordination with the different barangay and district health centers to strictly enforce the provisions of the proposed local legislative measure.
The ordinance noted the expansion program on immunization was established in 1976 to ensure that the infants or children and mothers have access to routinely recommended infant or childhood vaccines.
The Department of Health has launched a number of immunization programs to ensure prevention of morbidity and mortality of school-aged children due to alleged vaccine preventable illnesses.
Recently, the 2019 childhood immunization schedule was released that covers vaccines that can protect children from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, haemophlus influenza type B, polio, pneumococcal infections, rotavirus infections, influenza, measles, Japanese encephalitis, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, hepatitis A, and human papilloma virus.
The ordinance claimed the vaccination of children is one of the most basic medical interventions to ensure their development as healthy adults, however, the same has not been fully maximized despite the fact that the vaccines are free in the different health centers all over the country.
The ordinance emphasized to help the City Health Services Office in the implementation and monitoring of the required immunization program, there is a need to make mandatory the submission of immunization records as an additional requirement for enrolment in all pre-schools in the city.
The ordinance was referred by the local legislative body to a committee for study and recommendation whether or not the same will be passed on second and third readings.
By Dexter A. See