The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged the government not to prioritize those who are "wealthy, powerful, and influential" once the vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available.

In a moral guidance, the CBCP said that the government should ensure that the vaccine should be given first to those “who are most at risk for infection and for severe disease.”

“We propose this allocation plan for the COVID-19 vaccine that prioritizes those who are at most risk for infection or for severe disease because of our concern that in the Philippines, vaccines may be allocated first to those who are wealthy, powerful, and influential,” said the CBCP.

“Pope Francis has said, ‘It would be sad if, for the vaccine for COVID-19, priority were to be given to the richest!’ As the pope has said many times, ‘The preferential option for the poor is at the center of the Gospel,’” it added.

The CBCP said that prioritizing those in the upper class will not help in immediately solving the current health situation.

“This would not efficiently mitigate deaths in our communities and would delay the end of the pandemic in our country. This would be a great moral and social tragedy,” it said.

Medical frontliners should be the top priority for immunization, the CBCP said, as the country needs “healthy doctors and nurses to treat our sick so that our people can heal.”

Adults who are at high risk for severe disease due to their age or underlying medical conditions should be next to receive a vaccine, the prelates said. “We especially need to shield our senior citizens who face the highest risk of death from COVID-19,” they said.

Third to prioritize should be essential workers “whose roles are inherently risky because of necessary interactions with the public,” the CBCP said.

These include teachers, grocery store workers, public transportation workers, police, firefighters, and national security personnel, among others, it said.

Individuals who are living in “dense urban areas where they are vulnerable to the virus” should also be prioritized, the prelates said.

“We urge our national government to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone without cost to the individual. Otherwise it will not be available to the poor,” the CBCP said.

The government should be transparent and ensure the welfare of those who will volunteer to participate in any clinical trials for COVID-19 candidate vaccines, the CBCP said.

By doing so, this will help bolster “public confidence in the initiatives of medical and governmental authorities,” it said.

“We remind our public health authorities and the pharmaceutical companies involved that these COVID-19 vaccine Phase III clinical trials must be conducted adhering to the highest ethical standards and best scientific practices,” the CBCP said.

“Full transparency is critical at every step of the development and distribution of a candidate vaccine to ensure the safety and effectiveness of every approved vaccine in an immunization campaign,” it added.

Before any Phase III clinical trial commences, the results of the Phase I and II clinical trials of candidate vaccines should be first evaluated by designated ethics and expert panels and approved by our national regulatory agencies, the CBCP said.

“The data should be made publicly available so that other scientists and medical professionals can confirm the safety and efficacy of the candidate vaccine,” it said.

“Every participant in these clinical trials must be guaranteed the highest possible standard of care if they experience any adverse reactions. In the case of unforeseen permanent bodily damage, or even death, compensation to the participant or family would be just,” it added.

The findings of the Phase III clinical trials must be made public, regardless of outcome, the CBCP said.

“It is our prayer that the clinical trials conducted in our country will benefit the global effort to end the pandemic,” it said.