Health Sec. Herbosa rules out penalties for parents who refuse child vaccination

Department of Health Secretary Ted Herbosa ruled out penalties for parents who choose to deny their children immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases.

In a statement, Herbosa stressed that the department's priority is to strengthen public awareness and rebuild trust in vaccines rather than penalize parents.

"Wala po tayong i-impose na penalty. Bilang isang doktor po, alam naming may ibang mga batang may mga contraindication sa pagbibigay ng bakuna at in some cases, hindi talaga pwedeng ibigay ang bakuna sa kanila. Hindi po ito polisiya ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan," he said.

"Hindi sila puwedeng bigyan ng penalty. Naniniwala kami sa human rights at paniniwala ng ating mga magulang kung gusto o ayaw nila magpabakuna. Ang trabaho namin sa Department of Health ay kumbinsihin lahat ng magulang na pabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak para maging safe dito sa mga vaccine-preventable diseases," he continued.

This comes after DOH Undersecretary Emmie Liza Chiong recommended adding a provision in which parents or legal guardians who refuse to have their children vaccinated may face light administrative penalties during a recent hearing of the House committee on health.

"Consider including a provision of minor penalties for parents or caregivers who, after due notice, consciously neglect their duty to provide their children utmost protection from vaccine-preventable diseases," she said.

Chiong stressed how the Philippines remains high-risk for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio as a result of low immunization coverage rates.

"For the past five years, 2018 to 2022, the coverage of fully immunized children has ranged from 60 to 70%. That means around 700,000 children annually miss the routine vaccines, and that around three million children under five years old are projected to be susceptible to measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases," she explained.

"Because of this, mandating the vaccination of children with vaccines against the most common vaccine-preventable diseases will curb the transmission of infectious microorganisms and eventually assist in our long-term goal of healthy Filipinos who are protected against various vaccine-preventable diseases," she added.

Lawmakers are currently seeking to create a new mandatory immunization plan for Filipinos that would repeal Republic Act 10152, otherwise known as the “Mandatory Infants and Children Immunization Act of 2011."

The proposed bill would expand the list of free vaccines given to people of different age brackets.

Under RA 10152, the mandatory basic immunization for all infants and children cover diseases such as tuberculosis; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; poliomyelitis; measles; mumps; rubella or German measles; hepatitis B; and H. influenza type B, as well as other types that may be determined by the Secretary of Health through a department circular.