Palace: Mandating COVID-19 vaccination among 4Ps beneficiaries needs amendment of law

Malacañang said Monday that mandating COVID-19 vaccination for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or conditional cash transfer for the poor would need an amendment to an existing law.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was referring to Republic Act 11310 or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act which grant every poorest of the poor household a monthly cash grant worth P3,000 to P5,000 provided the family complies with conditions promoting human development such as keeping students in school, engaging in healthy practices and family development, improving the health nutritional status of pregnant and post-partum mothers, infants and young children.

"The reason for requiring COVID-19 vaccination is valid, pero sa tingin ko, requiring vaccination para sa mga tumatanggap ng 4Ps, kinakailangan na amyendahan ang batas (I think the law should be amended first before it can be made possible)," Roque said.

"The 4Ps is not an executive program but is provided for by law," he added.

The suggestion was first pitched by Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Roque, however, said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development can study how to speed up vaccination among 4Ps beneficiaries since it is the agency which is in charge of implementing the anti-poverty program.

There are 29.4 million Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, a figure which is 38.21% of the target population needed to achieve herd immunity. — RSJ, GMA News