‘Mahirap mahalin;’ body count continues

Every now and then, we come across statements of exasperation from Filipinos online. A sadly popular line is the one that goes: “Pilipinas ang hirap mong mahalin” or “Philippines you are so difficult to love.” More recently, I myself have discovered that “Mahirap din siyang tulungan” or “she is also hard to support or help.”

Take, for instance, the government’s “Bakuna Eskwela” program that was launched by no less than President Bongbong Marcos and rolled out by the Department of Health in cooperation with the Department of Education.

The program was meant to push government vaccination programs for school children, redeem the country’s stature in terms of addressing vaccine preventable diseases and stand strong against vaccine hesitancy and disinformation.

It was great that President Bongbong Marcos Jr. himself launched the program because I learned from a source that some DOH middle executives were hoping and praying that the media and other groups would help out. But except for some radio plugs and press releases, the PR for Bakuna Eskwela centered on the launch and no more.

Still, every doctor, public health advocate, hospital and health organization I knew expressed support not only for Bakuna Eskwela but also for the President’s bold stand on vaccination. In fact, within weeks of announcing the Bakuna Eskwela program, no less than the PAPO or Philippine Alliance of Patients Organization took the lead in issuing a statement of support for PBBM, Secretary Herbosa and the FDA.

That was followed by the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), both of whom addressed the importance of vaccination and addressing vaccine preventable diseases. All three organizations showed support for government as well as calling for a stop to disinformation regarding vaccines via social media.

This week, the PHAP or the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines is also expected to release their statement of support for the program and their call for the adoption of modern approaches and logistics in the management of health products such as vaccines.

But judging from what has been observed on the ground, the launch of