CALOOCAN City Mayor Dale Gonzalo 'Along' Malapitan announced on Sunday that the local government has launched a free vaccination program against various kinds of human papillomavirus (HPV) to boost the immunity of teenage girls and immunocompromised persons against infections and complications.

HPV infections are generally transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected person, according to the city's Health Department. Common symptoms include genital and anal warts, but in rare cases, multiple kinds of cancers may arise, especially cervical cancer in women, it added.