‘DON’T TOLERATE’ | Non-healthcare workers jumping over COVID-19 vaccine priority list, says DOH

March 23, 2021 , 01:51 PM

(March 23, 2021) – Despite the already low supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday confirmed that several individuals have “jumped the line” and received the shots earlier than they were supposed to.

DOH undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the issue stems from the uneasiness and impatience over the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, noting that once more doses arrive, there will be fewer reports of violations of the government’s priority list.

“Meron kaming nakukuhang reports na may nauuna sa linya. Sinasabi na namin na huwag i-tolerate ‘yan kasi baka mahihirapan tayo sa priority framework. Siguro pagdating ng mas maraming bakuna, mas madali na tayong maka-rollout at mabawasan ang problema na iyon kasi ngayon nakikita namin na dahil konti pa bakuna, nag-uunahan,” said Vega in a press briefing.

As the country received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in early March, the World Health Organization stressed the importance of following the priority list to ensure continued supply from the COVAX Facility.

Vega, who is also the country’s vaccine treatment czar, mentioned that they have already allocated almost all of the 1.12 million COVID-19 doses available in the country.

“Meron tayong priority framework and strategy paano mag-rollout ‘yung vaccines at nauna dito ang healthcare workers. Itong mga unang bakuna na dumating ay na-allocate namin sa regional offices at tsaka provinces, down to the hospitals. So, 90% allocation na ‘yan,” said Vega.

So far, the country has vaccinated over 336,000 Filipinos, with most being healthcare workers. Many health experts, however, have lamented that the pace is still slow, considering the government is targeting to inoculate 50-70 million this year to achieve herd immunity.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Monday that they are still looking to vaccinate one million Filipinos per week in the second quarter of the year.
“By April and May, hinahabol namin na magkaroon tayo ng 500,000 to 1 million per week. Sa ngayon, medyo mabagal tayo dahil kasi ang ating binabakunahan ay mga healthcare workers, at talagang ang ginagawa natin pine-phase natin dahil kasi iniingatan natin na mabakante ang mga hospital lalo na ngayon na umaangat ang ating mga kaso,” said Galvez.

There have been several reports of government officials receiving a COVID-19 shot despite not being included in the priority list, getting inoculated even ahead of poor senior citizens.

Early this month, Department of the Interior and Local Government undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, Quezon Rep. Helen Tan, Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, Pasay Vice Mayor Noel Del Rosario, and Metro Manila Development Authority chief of staff Michael Salalima were called out for receiving COVID-19 shots despite not being healthcare workers.

Last October, the Presidential Security Group and allegedly Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, several Cabinet members, and at least one senator were also illegally inoculated, marking the first breach of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination priority list.

(Kiko Demigillo/PM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.