A minor is getting her shot against COVID-19 during the pediatric vaccination organized by the Department of Health and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority at a mall inside the Subic Bay Freeport. (Photo courtesy of SBMA).
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos on Sunday criticized a Department of Health (DOH) memorandum that allows children to get vaccinated against COVID-19 even without parental consent as long as the minor is willing to be immunized.
DOH Memorandum 2022-0041 released January 24 stated: “In case the parent/guardian refuses to give consent to the vaccination despite the desire and willingness of the minor child to have himself/herself vaccinated, or there are no persons that may legally exercise parental authority over the child, the State may act as parens patriae and give the necessary consent. Therefore, the proper officer representing the State as parens patriae may sign the consent form. In this regard, the [Department of Social Welfare and Development] or its city/municipal counterparts shall serve as the proper office who shall represent the State.”
“Parens patriae” is Latin for “parent of the nation.”
“Government cannot usurp parental authority. Parents have the right to decide on the health and safety of their children,” Marcos said in a statement.
“The DOH has a lot of explaining to do. This isn’t the first time it committed a gaffe of such magnitude,” she added, noting the agency’s administrative order in March 2021 that aimed to block manufacturers of so-called sin products from purchasing vaccines amid a shortage in supply.
The government has purchased 15 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine intended for children aged 5 to 11.
Around 780,000 doses of the procured doses have arrived on Friday evening.
Marcos hoped that the DOH memorandum is not for the sake of utilizing the ordered vaccines.
“I hope this push to vaccinate kids is really for their sake and not for the sake of vaccine purchases already made,” she said.
Marcos likewise noted the World Health Organization’s statement which urges nations to attain a high level of vaccination among high-risk groups before the immunization of minors.
“Let’s prioritize the elderly and not lose sight of fully vaccinating the most vulnerable groups before rushing to vaccinate healthy kids,” the senator said.
Vaccination for the said age group was initially set on February 4. However, logistical issues prompted the postponement of the vaccine rollout to February 7.
Earlier, a mother and a former reporter petitioned the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order on the pediatric vaccination of the said age group, arguing that the rollout “was issued in grave abuse of discretion and unconstitutional, given all the red flags against [the] administration of COVID-19 vaccines to children.”