The municipality of Banna in Ilocos Norte is once again breaking new ground in women’s health, becoming the first local government unit (LGU) in the Philippines to vaccinate adolescents outside the national government’s 9- to 14-year-old female target with the 4-valentHuman Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.
In 2024, the municipality was also the first to achieve 90% HPV vaccination for girls 9-14 years of age with support from the DOH, proving that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) aspiration of 90-percent vaccination coverage for girls 9 to 14 years, to eliminate cervical cancer is achievable in the Philippines.
Mayor Mary Chrislyn Abadilla, a physician herself, called the expansion “a milestone that transformed a local program into a powerful movement of hope, protection, and love for the community.”
She said, “Each administered vaccine provides long-term protection against the preventable cervical cancer—a benefit that remains inaccessible to many girls aged 15 and above in the Philippines due to limited vaccine supply from the Department of Health.”
Low HPV vaccine coverage in recent years has left many girls over 15 in the Philippines, unvaccinated. These girls and women fall outside the DOH’s designated target group and are therefore ineligible for allocated HPV vaccination, highlighting the importance of local government complementation initiatives.
Banna has consistently demonstrated foresight and commitment in cervical cancer prevention. It was the first LGU in the Philippines to achieve the WHO and DOH recommendation of 90 percent HPV vaccination coverage among girls aged 9–14.
Since launching its program in 2022, the town has steadily expanded its coverage through catch-up programs, eventually reaching young women up to 26 years old.
The accomplishment of Banna, Ilocos Norte has also inspired many other local actions against cervical cancer. Many LGUs are now considering scaling-up prevention program against cervical cancer by also using a gender and development lens, scaling-up the advocacy that women should be protected against this preventable cancer, for as long as they can still benefit from the vaccine, as well as improving their access to screening services.
Abadilla said the effort is more than just governance, it is an expression of courage, compassion, and commitment to public health. Banna’s success stands as an invitation for other municipalities and cities to complement national programs with local investments, ensuring no one is left behind in the fight against HPV and cervical cancer.
