January 30, 2018

Parents’ Statement on the current DOH administration action

towards the Dengvaxia issue

In light of the controversies that surround the Dengvaxia vaccine initiated by the past
administration, we, parents believe that there should be corresponding actions in response to the
incidents of sickness reported by parents. It is the government’s duty regardless of whatever
administration to ensure that its citizens are of good health. However, with the vaccination of
around 850,000 students with the aforementioned vaccine, the government itself put the lives of
these children at risk. Hence the government should take the burden to assist those who may
have been allegedly ill due to the vaccinations regardless if there is no scientific evidence yet to
prove its direct correlation.

With the constant clamor from parents throughout the three regions where the
vaccinations were implemented regarding the different symptoms felt by their children, it is just
right to seek justice to those behind this initiative. With the present conclusions on the ongoing
investigation by the senate including the fact that no enough research was done to prove the
effectiveness of the vaccine and that those who didn’t have a history of dengue may incur severe
dengue after the vaccine, we assert that these are enough to demand concrete action from the
government specifically the Department of Health.

Assuring parents that everything will be okay and that direct correlation towards the
illnesses felt by the children and the vaccine is yet to be finalized is not enough. The present
DOH authorities have not done any concrete steps to assist those who have been constantly
reporting on illnesses after their vaccinations. Most of the recipients of the vaccines came from
the lower classes of society, leaving them no definite source of income to sustain constant health
check ups and medicinal needs to maintain their children’s health. This is the very dilemma of
most parents as the government merely offers “supportive care” to the vaccine recipients that
include only minimal support especially in terms of medicinal maintenance and financial
support.

We acknowledge the efforts of DOH to visit schools and answer parents’ queries
regarding the issue to eradicate panic among us. But the only thing that can make we, parents
calm is the truthful assurance that the vaccine recipients will receive full support if severe illness
incidents occur and that constant monitoring is done to ensure that their immune systems will
remain well through provisions of medicinal support such as vitamins.

There have been constant conversations regarding the issue especially with the legislative
investigations yet there are no actions being trickled down to the actual victims. Culprits should
be punished especially with the incurring number of deaths but lest we forget that there are many
more recipients and they need to be monitored too so as not to have the same tragedy of those
who died. We believe as major stakeholders in this issue that the current DOH authorities is not
capable of ensuring both actions could be done under its administration.
 Several months upon the appointment of the current DOH Secretary and with the
explosion of the issue, many parents still seem to receive no answers on the plight of their
children. We cannot merely wait until further symptoms arise before we take action. We believe
that better mechanisms could be implemented in light of the issue and better authorities have
better chances to make this possible for our children. Hence, we stand against the appointment of
the current DOH Secretary, Dr. Francisco Duque III, as he is not deemed suitable to solve this
current national health dilemma.

We believe that there are strong arguments in response to the verdict of the Committee on
Appointments with Sec. Duque’s appointment. Firstly, there has been a lack of direct and
concrete instructions to support the victims of the Dengvaxia vaccine even upon his appointment.
This shows his incompetence in dealing with urgent matters knowing that despite the program
being launched not under his leadership, it is still under the government hence he is still
accountable particularly to the victims. Moreover, a blatant instruction from the President
himself to accommodate the victims of the vaccine are not streamlined to local hospitals. There
were reports by parents that their children are not being accommodated in the hospitals which
resulted to the deterioration of the state of their children. This is an explicit negligence on
Duque’s administration. In the first place, the whole department under his leadership has the
moral obligation to ensure that these vaccinated children maintain good health in response to
reports on the effects of the vaccine.

In light of the investigations revolving the issue, we urge the House to study the
involvement of other directors whose signatures allowed the enabling of the procurement of the
vaccine. We believe that these officials are utterly accountable as well and should be punished
according to the law if there is any proof of negligence on their part that result to the damages.

As the parents and legal guardians of the vaccinated children, we affirm that we are in the
position to demand the following for the well-being of our children who were vaccinated and are
in danger of illnesses from the side effects of Dengvaxia: indemnification for moral damage
especially to families who suffered gravely including those who have children who died and
those who are suffering severely; appropriate attention and support to those who are reportedly
ill due to the vaccination; and government’s assurance to control the situation justly to eliminate
the moral damages and mental anguish the issue has created to parents. In addition, the
transparent and validated list of vaccinated children in barangay health centers should be
released to the public for actual monitoring.

We want justice be served to whom it is due and for the government to actually solve this
issue for the benefit of our children.

Signed,

Parents of Dengvaxia Vaccine Recipients: