FEBRUARY 27, 2026 — The Department of Health (DOH) has made it clear: parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will not face penalties. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed that the government’s role is to educate, not punish. 

“We will not impose any penalty,” Herbosa said in Filipino. 

This clarification came after DOH Undersecretary Emmie Chiong floated the idea of sanctions during a House hearing. Herbosa quickly countered, noting that while vaccines are vital, there are medical contraindications that prevent some children from being immunized. 

“They can’t be given penalty because we believe in human rights and the parents’ beliefs if they want to vaccinate their child or not,” he explained.

Instead, the DOH is doubling down on education campaigns. Under Republic Act No. 10152, the agency is mandated to provide parents with information on the benefits of immunization. 

Herbosa emphasized, “Our job in the DOH is to convince all parents to vaccinate their children for them to be safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.” 

The timing of this clarification is crucial. In Mindanao, the DOH recently rolled out a supplemental immunization drive against measles-rubella. As of February 20, about 2.3 million children — or 82% of the target — have been vaccinated. Nationwide, the agency aims to inoculate 11 million Filipino children under five.

Now the DOH is walking a fine line between respecting parental choice and protecting public health. In a country where vaccine hesitancy has been fueled by past controversies, the government’s softer approach — persuasion over punishment — may be the more effective path. After all, fear of sanctions rarely builds trust, but open dialogue just might.

But will education alone be enough to convince Filipino parents to protect their children through vaccination?

(Image: Philippine News Agency)