Palace: A4 vaccine priority list not yet final, sectors may still be added
MANILA, Philippines — The COVID-19 vaccination priority list issued by the National Economic and Development Authority is not yet final, Malacañang said Tuesday, following concerns over the exclusion of some sectors from the group of economic frontliners.
NEDA Undersecretary Rose Edillon, who announcec the list on Monday, said that it had already been approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease.
But presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday that the list has not been approved by the IATF, the government's pandemic policy-making body.
"The one released by NEDA is not yet final because it has not been approved by the IATF so we can still add (sectors) that we want to add (to the list of priorities)," Roque said at a press briefing.
The Palace spokesman made the remark after he was asked why workers of manufacturers of basic non-food products like laundry detergents, toothpaste, and bath soaps were not included in the A4 or frontline personnel in essential sectors.
Roque said he and Sen. Christopher Go are also seeking the inclusion of media workers in the priority list.
"So let's wait for the next meeting of the IATF," he said.
Thirteen sectors were classified as economic frontliners in the list issued by NEDA:
- A4.1 – Commuter transport (land, air and sea), including logistics
- A4.2 – Frontline government workers in justice, security, transport social protection sectors
- A4.3 – Public and private wet and dry market ventdors; frontline workers in grocery, supermarkets; delivery services
- A4.4 – Workers in manufacturing for food, beverage, medical and pharmaceutical products
- A4.5 – Frontline workers in food retail, including food service delivery
- A4.6 – Frontline government workers
- A4.7 – Frontline workers in financial services
- A4.8 – Teaching and related personnel in medical and allied medical courses of higher education institutions, including personnel handling laboratories
- A4.9 – Frontline workers in hotels and accommodation
- A4.10 – Priests, pastors, religious leaders regardless of denomination
- A4.11 – Construction workers in government infrastructure projects
- A4.12 – Security guards or personnel assigned in the establishments, offices, agencies, and organizations identified in these priority sectors
- A4.13 – Overseas Filipino workers not classified above, and scheduled for deployment within two months
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