DOH on 4Ps proposal: We need to review if it will violate rights

The government must first review if the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries will violate any rights, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

“We need to review thoroughly if this is going to violate any of the rights of our citizens or the members of 4Ps,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on CNN Philippines.

“And also I think legally it should also be reviewed because there might be some existing policies that might be contradictory to these proposals,” she added.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government previously disclosed it was looking at how it can implement a “no vaccine, no subsidy” policy for unvaccinated beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has since clarified that it is only looking to first vaccinate beneficiaries before giving them aid, adding that this did not mean that unvaccinated individuals will not receive the cash assistance.

The Department of Justice has also warned of legal challenges and adverse political repercussions

Meanwhile, Vergeire said the DOH will support the mandatory vaccination should it be legal and if there are policies in place.

“So all of these, legally, and the policies are in place, yes, we will be supporting that,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said that there are conditionalities being implemented by the government for the 4Ps program, one of which is health.

“And these conditionalities aim to improve the health-seeking behavior of our public, of the population, specifically mothers and their children,” she said.

According to Vergeire, the policy will improve the health-seeking behavior of the public.

“Now if this will be proposed… it’s going to be a welcome development because it’s part of the health-seeking behavior that people will be interested in or will be encouraged to have their COVID-19 vaccinations,” Vergeire said.

“Now, if this going to push through, of course, we will support it because this will improve the health-seeking behavior,” she added.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, meanwhile, earlier said that more 4Ps beneficiaries are now willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to the period before the government's vaccination program started in March. — RSJ, GMA News