Department of Health

Receiving Officer 08:46 AM, Dec 11, 2023

December 11, 2023

Dear Kai,

Thank you for your request dated Dec 09, 2023 under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch, for exemption from covid-19 vaccination.

We received your request on Dec 09, 2023 and will respond on or before Dec 29, 2023 09:12:08 PM, in accordance with the Executive Order's implementing rules and regulations.

Should you have any questions regarding your request, kindly contact me using the reply function on the eFOI portal at https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/aglzfmVmb2ktcGhyHQsSB0NvbnRlbnQiEERPSC04NDcxNTU3ODk5MzEM, for request with ticket number #DOH-847155789931.

Thank you.

Respectfully,

FOI Receiving Officer
FOI Officer

Maker 09:45 AM, Dec 11, 2023

Good day!

Please be informed that we have endorsed your request to IATF Secretariat/Health Regulation Team and Public Health Services Team (PHST) for action. We'll send you feedback once available.

Thank you.

Maker 03:57 PM, Dec 18, 2023

December 18, 2023

Dear Kai Doering,

Greetings!

Thank you for your request dated Dec 09, 2023 09:12:08 PM under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch.

Your Request

You asked for exemption from covid-19 vaccination.

Response to Request

Your FOI request is approved. 

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 2022-0005 entitled "Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) for COVID-19 Vaccines" released by the Department of Health (DOH), it states that:

1. V. G. The vaccination of COVID-19 Vaccines shall be voluntary in nature and shall not be made mandatory for all Filipino citizens

2. VI. F. 1.c. COVID-19 vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy shall not be recommended, but may be done for pregnant women at high risk for contracting COVID-19, provided that there is shared decision making between the pregnant patient and the attending physician evidenced through a medical clearance.

In addition, during the vaccination process, health screening forms are used by the vaccinator to assess the eligibility of the vaccine recipients.

Further, in reference to the DOH Department Circular No. 2021-0483 entitled "Interim Operational Guidelines on the COVID-19 Vaccination of the Rest of the Pediatric Population Ages 12-17 Years old", it states that:

Annex D. (Recommendations to those who should NOT received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine) Patients who have a history of known and proven immediate (within 6 hours) allergic reaction of any severity or anaphylaxis (based on past vaccination experiences or as evaluated by an allergist) to certain vaccine recipients such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysorbate, or aluminum hydroxide should not receive the COVID-19 vaccines that contain these recipients.

The Philippine COVID-19 living Clinical Practice Guidelines have strongly recommended the use of vaccines and its importance in providing protection against the COVID-19 infection. This may be accessed through this link: http://bit.ly/PSMIDLCPG. Those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are considered to have protection against the virus and are observed to be less likely to develop severe and critical symptoms of COVID-19. Thus, while each individual is not required or mandated to be vaccinated, we highly recommend that all eligible individuals get their primary doses and booster shots.

For further queries and concerns, you may contact us via email at dpcb@doh.gov.ph

Thank you

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to the DOH Central Appeals and Review Committee, at foi@doh.gov.ph. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).

Thank you.

Respectfully,

FOI Decision Maker
FOI Receiving Officer