LIVE: Senate hearing into the government immunization program

MANILA, Philippines – A Senate panel is holding a hearing into the government's immunization program on Tuesday.

The joint inquiry would be led by Senate Committee on Health and Demography—chaired by Sen. Christopher Go—along with the Senate committees on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development and on Finance chaired by Sens. Leila De Lima and Sonny Angara, respectively.

De Lima is detained in the Philippine National Police Custodial Center on drig charges.

The hearing comes as the country deals with a rise in dengue and measles cases and the return of polio to the country.

The senators will also discuss the Sen. Pia Cayetano’s privilege speech on the falling rate of polio vaccination.

In her speech, Cayetano emphasized the need to convince parents to have their children vaccinated.

Last week, the Department of Health announced the resurgence of polio, 19 years after it was eradicated in the country.

Aside from the fears of vaccination, the Senate committees would also tackle Senate Resolution Nos. 166 and 697 or the measures prohibiting the detention of patients.