President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday urged people to be vaccinated against disease after authorities saw fewer children getting vaccines due to the scare created by the Dengvaxia case.

"The Dengvaxia (vaccine).... because of it, many Filipino families, not only in Malabon, are afraid and do not want to get vaccine," Duterte said in his speech during the groundbreaking of the new site of the San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital in Panghulo, Malabon City.

He told the parents to get their children vaccinated and don't get Dengvaxia if they don't want it.

"Do not be lulled and be complacent about it because the babies really need it If you just don't want the Dengvaxia, it's okay. But all your children (get vaccinated). We are not lacking vaccines. It is good. It is for health," Duterte said.

Duterte said there is a great drop in the number of children getting vaccines such as tetanus, measles, hepatitis A and B; and anti-polio.

"It is alarming to government for people to shy away from vaccination for their children," said Duterte.

He added not all vaccines are "dangerous".

Duterte said he will prioritize medicines for Filipinos and added he will use the money of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to do so.

"The medicine will be source from the money Pagcor makes. Half of it, the others for hospital repairs. What I want is there will never be a lack of medicine. Medicine is important," he said.

Many parents refused to allow their children to be vaccinated after deaths allegedly caused by using the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia by the Department of Health.

A task force is investigating if 15 deaths out of the 62 persons who were injected with Dengvaxia were due to the vaccine. The health department stopped the use of Dengvaxia in December 2017. Ella Dionisio/DMS