Philippine Gov’t partnership with Japan’s JICA, UNICEF, and BARMM bring reliable data record keeping to children’s vaccination history

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• EDD K. USMAN | X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News

MANILA HOTEL, Rizal Park, Manila, July 31, 2025 (SDN) — Error-proned paper-based record keeping of Filipino children’s immunization is about to be gone. Completely, if the DigiVacc app runs smoothly!

Early indications? It is going well as intended.

The testimony comes from the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as Minister Dr. Kadil “Jojo” M. Sinolinding, Jr. cited in an exclusive interview with SDN – SciTech & Digital News.

DigiVacc has two component applications, such as:

• VaccTrace, a provider-facing web service and mobile application that helps health workers to digitally record immunization services and track coverage within their designated area, and
• VaccCheck, a patient-facing mobile application that empowers parents or caregivers to view and download their children’s immunization records anytime, anywhere.

A known philanthropist in Mindanao through his series of free eye surgeries to remove cataract, among others, already benefiting several hundred, if not thousands, of patients as they gained their eyesight, the MOH chief came to Manila with his delegation to participate on Wednesday, July 30, at the official launch of the DigiVacc, a game-changer app in keeping tabs of the records of children’s vaccination records.

“We know that of it is manual (recording), it is subject to so many errors. But once it is digital, then we can say it is real time and our data is updated,” says Sinolinding.

“It will really make the life of our healthcare workers easier, make the data more dependable, accurate, as well as verifiable.”

Its development funded by the Japanese government, DigiVacc, is aset of digital applications designed to replace paper-based immunization records of children, was officially launched by the Department of Health (DOH) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) at the Manila Hotel.

Drawing on the ease of use of the DigiVacc app, Sinolinding hastened to add, will offer a lot more improvement in record-keeping for it is needed for planning, evaluation, and in future activities that will be undertaken.

Aside from DOH, also present at the milestone of digital transformation in healthcare for children are its partners such as the Japanese government and the UNICEF in the Philippines, as well as Bangsamoro government.

Embassy of Japan in the Philippines First Secretary Dr. Aoki Fumiko assured support for the Philippines’ leveraging of technology.

“The Government of Japan remains steadfast in its support for digital transformation in the healthcare sector. We are proud to support this project and hopeful that it will help close the gaps in traditional immunization data collection, leading to better planning at both local and national levels,” the Japanese official assures.

“With easier immunization recording and tracking, I believe health workers, caregivers, and parents will be better equipped to make informed decisions and ensure children stay protected.”

Similarly, UNICEF Philippines Acting Representative Edgar Donoso believes in DigiVacc’s vital role in health workers’ job.

BARMM offers profuse thanks to those behind DigiVacc app’s creation

“All children have a right to health, ” the UNICEF official maintains.

Donoso cited Japan’s support, saying that UNICEF and DOH “worked together to design, develop, and deploy digital immunization tools” aimed at “addressing healthcare workers’ concerns on the ground to reach our immunization goals.”

He adds: “Vaccinated children perform better at school, with economic benefits that ripple across their communities in advancing national welfare.”

Sinolinding said the DOH had chosen the Bangsamoro region as pilot area for the app’s implementation.

“The implementation is already ongoing in (the municipalities of) Datu Blah Sinsuat, Matanog, and Pagalungan, and in Cotabato City, ” he tells SDN.  He added the cited local government units (LGUs) have already started using DigiVacc, a reliable ally and tool for health workers, who are trained and authorized to access and use the app.

“We saw how good the project is. We will roll this out to the entire region because we are one of those regions that really need this, considering our achipelagic nature. And the only way to connect the islands is through digital technology. For that, we thank everybody, ” the Bangsamoro health chief emphasizes.

He said the DigiVacc app is already being used in many parts of the country outside of BARMM. After the pilot testing in the four Bangsamoro LGUs, “it will go on in the entire region.”

The DOH said the digital tool is already being deployed in 13 LGUs across the country.

“Kaya ako ay masaya at napadali, napagaan, at napaayos ang ating mga datos pagdating sa (That is why I am happy because our data recording became faster, easier, and orderly when it comes to) vaccination, and the national immunization program,” Sinolinding, a Member of the Parliament (MP) of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

The MOH minister noted health workers’ difficulties in gathering information carrying with them cumbersome materials to record their work. “You will miss a lot of details. With this app, life is easier (for health workers). We all know that vaccination is a very important tool in the life stages of the child, of the person, of the adult, and the whole individual, of our people.”

With this in mind, Sinolinding expressed gratitude in behalf of the Bangsamoro government, thankful as he acknowledged that the DOH chose the BARMM for the pilot project of DigiVacc.

“From the bottom of our heart, and in behalf of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat (Thank you so much to all of you),” he says. “Shukran jazillan, and to the people of Japan, arigato gosaimas.”

He also thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., JICA (Japan International Cooperarion Agency), UNICEF, and the people of the BARMM for their help and cooperation.

To get more information about the life-changing digital tool as well as download details, those interested may visit http://www.digivacc.ph.

Some photographs of Sinolinding’s delegation at the event:

The Bangsamoro region established through the 2018 Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), or Republic Act No. 11054, is comprised of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi provinces; the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi; and the Special Geographical Area (SGA) made up of eight new municipalities carved out of North Cotabato province. (√)

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