The Philippine Medical Association (PMA), the umbrella organization of all medical doctors practicing in the country, has expressed alarm over reports of unregistered and counterfeit dengue vaccines being sold in unauthorized channels.
At a media roundtable held at Seda Vertis North, Dr. Erica Tania Davillo, chair of the PMA Ad Hoc Committee on Dengue Advocacy, warned that purchasing these unauthorized vaccines might end up doing more harm than good in the fight against the disease.
She said: “While we recognize that there is a growing number of Filipinos clamoring for safe and effective ways to protect their families from dengue, we also need to make sure that we only use medical products that have undergone the proper regulatory review process from government authorities.”
The PMA also commended the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cracking down on sellers of fake and unlicensed health products, including vaccines. “We are grateful to the FDA for taking decisive action on halting the illegal sale of unregistered health products, because these pose a real danger to the health of Filipinos,” Dr. Davillo said.
Dr. Davillo also spoke on behalf of the Empowering Networks to Defeat Dengue (E.N.D. Dengue) Coalition, on the occasion of the organization’s first anniversary this February. Organized by the PMA together with other healthcare organizations and advocacy groups, E.N.D. Dengue Coalition strongly supports the World Health Organization’s call to end dengue deaths by 2030.
The Philippines continues to have a much higher dengue burden than other countries in Southeast Asia. Looking at September 2025 data on the Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA) Group dashboard, Indonesia reported 118,021 cases and 487 deaths, while Vietnam logged 92,926 cases and 17 deaths. In comparison, the Philippines reported 234,895 cases and 912 deaths in the same period—significantly higher than reported cases in Indonesia and Vietnam.
As shared by Dr. Hector Santos, PMA president, based on the latest report from the Department of Health (DoH), the Philippines logged 7,471 cases this January—a 71-percent drop from the 25,652 cases recorded in the same period last year, when several local government units such as Quezon City declared outbreaks. Still, the January 2026 numbers recorded in the Philippines were nearly 19 times higher than the numbers reported by Indonesia in the same period (403 cases).
Because of the continuing threat of dengue, health experts keep reminding the public to take the necessary precautions and to be aware of the early warning signs of the disease.
“Based on the latest data, dengue outbreaks no longer just happen during the rainy season,” stressed Dr. Santos. “Because of such factors as climate change, urban sprawl and congestion, and others, dengue cases are already being reported all year round.”
E.N.D. Dengue’s work is guided by five pillars: Global and Local Epidemiology and Threat, Vector Control, Clinical Management, Dengue Vaccine Development, and Communication and Advocacy.
Under the pillar of Global and Local Epidemiology and Threat, E.N.D. Dengue calls for accurate and timely data reporting and publication from both private and government sectors. Under Vector Control, the coalition focuses on the need to significantly reduce, if not eliminate, dengue transmission through mosquito control methods. For Clinical Management, the group calls for the development and dissemination of unified and regularly updated clinical practice guidelines for disease prevention and management. Another important component of the E.N.D. Dengue framework is Dengue Vaccine Development, which recognizes the role of vaccine research, development, and accessibility, as well as its timely distribution. Lastly, Communication and Advocacy emphasizes the need to educate the public on the disease and ways to address it, while also promoting vaccine acceptance and fighting the continuing threat of misinformation.
“The E.N.D. Dengue Coalition, alongside the rest of the Philippine Medical Association, stands united in our shared mission of significantly reducing, if not eliminating, dengue deaths in the country. Together with our members, partners, and other supporters, we are committed to helping ease the burden of dengue, which continues to pose considerable strain not just on Filipino families, but on the public health system as a whole,” said Dr. Santos.
