SAN Jose del Monte City Lone District Rep. Florida P. Robes has filed a bill, which makes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination mandatory to all those eligible to receive it.

House Bill (HB) 10249 entitled An Act Providing for Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccine for All Filipino Citizens Eligible to Receive the Vaccine and Appropriating Funds Therefor, mandates that COVID-19 vaccines must be administered to all Filipinos and residents of the Philippines who are eligible to receive the vaccine.

The bill also provides that all expenses for the COVID-19 vaccines shall be fully subsidized by the government. Private companies may also procure vaccines for their employees as long as they are given for free to their employees.

Robes said the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly declared that vaccines are one of the most effective tools for protecting people against COVID-19 and that it has postulated that it is not uncommon for governments and institutions to implement mandatory vaccination of COVID-19 and that it can be considered ethically justified in order to protect the health and well-being of the public.

She pointed out that the Philippines has also been implementing a mandatory vaccination program for infants and children.

“We have Republic Act 10152 which is an act providing for the mandatory basic immunization services for infants and children and Republic Act 7846 which requires compulsory immunization against Hepatitis-B for infants and children below eight years old. In the face of worldwide pandemic that is ravaging our country, it is crucial to implement a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination program for people who are eligible to get the vaccines in order to protect ourselves and our families but enable us to regain our economic foothold and resume our lives,” she said.

Her bill, however, exempts persons with conflicting religious belief or with medical condition that would make vaccination detrimental to his/her health as certified by a duly licensed physician.

It also likewise provides an anti-discrimination clause which prohibits discrimination against those who refuse to get vaccinated for religious belief or health reason or cause the loss of their employment or enrollment in any educational institution.

All those who have been fully vaccinated shall be given a Vaccine Pass as proof of their full vaccination status which may be used to access any public tourism resort, accommodation, assembly or amusement center.

Those who have no valid reason to refuse vaccination shall be imposed a penalty of imprisonment of up to 30 days and/or a fine of P10,000.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco