A Night of Learning and Gender-Responsive Public Health Advocacy in Marikina City
Healthcare leaders, clinicians, and advocates gathered for an insightful evening during the “Vaccines At Work: Protecting Health Across Specialties and Sectors” conference held at Comedor by Maria and Miguel in Marikina City. Organized by the Marikina Valley Medical Society in partnership with Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), the event brought together medical professionals and public health champions committed to advancing preventive care.
Participants included members of the Marikina Valley Medical Society and representatives from the Marikina City Government, led by City Health Officer Dr. Christopher Guevara, whose presence underscored the city’s strong commitment to public health and vaccination programs.
A Meaningful Opening from Leaders in Women’s Health
The program opened with warm messages from Dr. Arlene Roxas, President of the Marikina Valley Medical Society, followed by the evening’s host, Dr. Jeanne Guevara—both OB-Gynecologists associated with Amang Rodriguez Medical Center. Their leadership set the tone for a night celebrating multi-sector collaboration, medical excellence, and shared responsibility in protecting community health.
Highlight: Gender Mainstreaming in HPV Prevention
One of the evening’s key presentations was delivered by Dr. Bogs Rivera, radiation oncologist and national advocate for cervical cancer elimination. His talk, “Gender Mainstreaming of HPV Prevention,” challenged traditional, women-only approaches to HPV education and emphasized the need for gender-responsive, inclusive, and equitable health strategies.
Dr. Rivera highlighted critical points:
HPV affects ALL genders—not just women
While cervical cancer affects women almost exclusively, HPV causes a broad spectrum of diseases across genders:
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Anal cancer (common among men who have sex with men),
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Penile cancer in men,
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Vulvar and vaginal cancers in women,
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Oropharyngeal cancers (increasingly seen in men),
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Genital warts affecting both sexes.
By presenting these realities, Dr. Rivera asked a profound question:
“If the virus affects everyone, why do our national prevention strategies protect only girls?”
Gender gaps in the current Philippine immunization program
The National Immunization Program offers free HPV vaccination only to girls aged 9–14, leaving:
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Boys,
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Men,
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LGBTQIA+ individuals,
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Vulnerable and high-risk groups
unprotected, underserved, and excluded from prevention initiatives.
What gender mainstreaming means in HPV control
Dr. Rivera explained gender mainstreaming as:
Integrating the realities, roles, and risks of all genders into every stage of healthcare planning and implementation.
Applied to HPV prevention, this means:
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Including boys and men in vaccination conversations,
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Ensuring outreach extends to LGBTQIA+ communities,
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Designing policies that remove gender bias in access to life-saving vaccines and screening.
An Untapped Resource: GAD Funds
A powerful insight from Dr. Rivera’s talk was the revelation that Gender and Development (GAD) funds—a mandated allocation across all LGUs—can be utilized for:
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Gender-neutral HPV vaccination programs,
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HPV awareness campaigns,
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Equitable screening programs,
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Community education initiatives.
With ₱807.6 billion allocated for GAD in 2024 and only 55% utilized, Dr. Rivera emphasized the enormous opportunity to use these funds to save lives and prevent cancer through inclusive vaccination.
A Thought-Provoking Talk on Pneumonia Prevention
Another highlight of the evening was the lecture “Did Pneumonia Know?” by Pulmonologist Dr. Joel Santaiguel, who discussed the evolving burden of pneumonia, its public health implications, and the critical role of adult vaccination in preventing severe disease. His session reinforced the core theme of the conference: vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools across all medical specialties.
A Night of Collaboration and Commitment
Throughout the evening, doctors shared insights, experiences, and renewed their commitment to a vision where preventive care is strengthened across specialties. From HPV to pneumonia, the message was clear:
Vaccination is not just a medical intervention—it is a multi-sector responsibility.
With the synergy of the Marikina Valley Medical Society, the City Health Office, and partners like MSD, Marikina continues to position itself as a city that champions proactive, equitable, and inclusive public health.
Toward a Gender-Inclusive, Fully Protected Future
The conference closed with a collective call to action:
To protect every Filipino—women, men, and all gender identities—from vaccine-preventable diseases through science, solidarity, and equity.
As Dr. Rivera emphasized:
“HPV is not just a women’s issue. It is everyone’s issue. And the solutions must protect everyone.”
