DOH logs 32% increase in measles, rubella cases in 2025

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said there has been a significant increase in measles cases in the country for the year of 2025.

DOH Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo shared in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB that there had been a total of 5,123 measles and rubella cases from January 1 to December 27, 2025.

This is a 32% increase from 2024’s 3,880 cases.

“Napansin natin, pinakinggan natin ang bilang ng tigdas, parang i-kumpara mo sa mala-trangkasong sakit para maliit kasi 5,000 lang, pero mas nababahala ang DOH sa usapin ng tigdas kasi mas mabilis makahawa ang tigdas,” he shared.

(We noticed the number of measles, and compared to the number of flu-like illnesses, it seems small since it’s just 5,000. But the DOH is more alarmed with measles because it’s more contagious.)

Domingo emphasized the importance of mitigating the spread of the disease through vaccination drives.

He shared that 73% of the recorded measles and rubella patients were unvaccinated, mostly due to vaccine hesitancy or lack of access to vaccines.

“Ibig sabihin marami mga batang Pilipino, kung ano ang dahilan, hindi nakakuha ng kanilang bakuna nung sila 9 months old or 12 months old, kaya hahabulin natin yan from 6 months old hanggang 59 months old,” he said.

(This means that more Filipino children, regardless of the reason, are unable to get their vaccines at 9 months old or 12 months old, so we’ll catch up to that from 6 months old to 59 months old.)

“Ang nakikita nating dahilan ay una ay meron paring hesitancy. Ibig sabihin, may duda sa mga bakuna at ngayon ay sasabihin ko na safe na safe po yan… Ikalawa, mapapansin minsan hindi maabot ang ating pamilya kasi baka nasa geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” he added.

(We have a lot of different possible reasons, but the reason we see is there still seems to be some hesitancy. This means there’s still doubt regarding the vaccines, and now, I can say that they really are safe. Second, we can notice that sometimes our families can’t access them because they’re in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.)

DOH will be hosting the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR SIA) starting with a first phase in Mindanao from January 19 to February 13, 2026.

Domingo advised parents to have their children vaccinated in health centers, rural health units, or any health facilities designated as vaccine hubs by DOH.

“May mga bakuna po lahat yan. Ligtas, sigurado at dekalidad,” he assured.

(There are vaccines in all of those. Safe, secure, and assured in quality.) —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/ VAL, GMA Integrated News