The Department of Health (DOH) said no coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines will be wasted as those nearing expiration were already deployed to different local government units (LGUs).
"No vaccines were wasted. No vaccines will be wasted. We were able to strategize even if they are near expiry," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum Monday, Nov. 8.
"When we received these doses, we immediately deployed them to fast moving LGUs or those that are capable of using them as soon as possible," she added.
The DOH, meantime, has expressed openness to the imposition of a "no vaccine, no subsidy" policy to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) provided that such policy will have adequate legal basis.
"We are open to this, that COVID-19 vaccination be included in the conditionalities of 4Ps," said Vergeire.
"However, we need to study this thoroughly because we do not want to violate any rights of a specific individual in terms of receiving benefits from the government," she added.
The DOH earlier expressed support to recommendation to make vaccination mandatory but only for specific sectors such as healthcare workers.