LEGAZPI CITY, July 9 -- The Department of Health - Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Bicol has intensified health education, local government engagement, and interagency coordination to further improve deworming coverage among children and adolescents, following gains from the region's mass deworming campaign.

In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, DOH 5 (Bicol) Regional Integrated Control Program Coordinator Darryl Balane said the region achieved an overall deworming coverage of 80.25 percent during the January 2026 round, up from 71.94 percent in July 2025.

"The campaign reached about 1.79 million of the region's estimated 2.23 million target beneficiaries aged 1 to 19 years, surpassing the previous round's performance...