Watsons decided to turn the often serious and sometimes downright intimidating topic of vaccination into an event filled with laughter, thanks to the comedic genius of SPIT Manila and the iconic Ruffa Mae Quinto. Held recently at RCBC Plaza in Makati City, the event, titled “As a Matter of Vaxx,” combined health education with a side of punchlines to make sure the message sticks—literally and figuratively.
Imagine Ruffa Mae Quinto popping up at your next doctor’s appointment, all, “Go girl, get that vaxx!” That energy was basically what she brought to the event. Her hilarious antics, paired with the improv talents of SPIT Manila, had the audience in stitches. But beyond the laughs, the message was clear: vaccines aren’t something to be afraid of, and learning about them doesn’t have to be boring.
“We wanted to shake things up a bit,” said Jared De Guzman, Watsons Philippines’ Customer Director. “By using comedy, we made the topic more relatable and memorable. It’s a serious issue, but who says you can’t laugh while learning?”
Doctors dish out the facts—and some laughs too
Now, while Ruffa Mae and SPIT were busy cracking jokes, the real stars of the show were the doctors who dropped some knowledge on why vaccines are vital.
Dr. Cristina Ignacio-Alberto from the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination got right to the point: “Vaccines prevent lifelong complications and reduce the burden on our healthcare system. We could have avoided so many diseases if people just got vaccinated.” She emphasized that vaccines aren’t just about personal protection. They protect the whole community.
Even the doctors weren’t immune to a little humor. Dr. Kilimanjaro Tiwaquen, a.k.a. Doc Kilimanguru, the popular medical content creator, shared a personal story about how his childhood doctor was so scary, it almost made him run for the hills rather than get vaccinated.
“Fear can come from the doctor too,” he admitted. This experience shaped his advocacy for making vaccines less terrifying, especially for kids.
Pediatrician Dr. Gilinezabel Igtiben-De la Fuente also ditches the traditional white coat to make her young patients feel more at ease.
Myths, facts, and digital vaccination cards
The panelists also tackled some common myths about vaccines, which, let’s be honest, still run wild on social media. Dr. Nicole Anne Buenavista highlighted the importance of fighting disinformation online: “People are on social media, and that’s where we should be giving them the right information.”
She’s also a big fan of digitizing medical records, especially vaccination cards. “Health starts with education,” she said. “Let’s make it easy for people to track their vaccines.”
With all the laughter, the point was driven home: vaccines save lives. And in case you didn’t know, Watsons offers vaccines for flu, pneumonia, HPV, shingles, and more at select stores.
So, what’s the takeaway from a night of laughs and learning? Vaccines work. And just remember: you can always laugh your way to better health.