MANILA - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) on Tuesday announced the roll out of its indemnification policy for Filipinos who would be hospitalized or die due to serious adverse effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation package can cover up to P100,000 in hospitalization dues or a lumpsum of P100,000 for disabilities or deaths proven to be due to the COVID-19 jabs, PhilHealth Vice President Shirley Domingo said.

"It is applicable to those who got their vaccines through our national program," she said in an online press conference.

"The claim corresponds to remaining charges on top of PhilHealth benefits and other health benefits provided by private health insurances and health management organizations," she said.

Those who were be confined, experienced disability or die after being vaccinated with COVID-19 jabs without certificates of product registration may avail of the package, she said.

The package only covers those inoculated with jabs without certificates of product registration as there is a separate way of resolving vaccine complication issues with the Food and Drug Administration once the drug is already considered a registered product, she said.

Those who want to avail of the package will have to present a causality assessment showing that the cause of hospitalization, disability or death is a "vaccine quality related reaction," the PhilHealth vice president said.

"Kapag nag claim sila sa iba, like sa COVAX No Fault Compensation Program... hindi na sila puwede mag claim sa atin," she said.

(If they have claimed from other institutions like the COVAX No Fault Compensation Program... they can no longer claim from PhilHealth.)

The package will be available from from March 3 , 2021 to March 2, 2026, or as soon as the government completes its COVID-19 vaccination program, Domingo said.

"Puwedeng i-extend 'yun ng president of the Philippines," she said.

(The president of the Philippines can have it extended.)

As of June 27, the Philippines has fully inoculated 2.5 million Filipinos, while 7.5 million others have received their first dose.

• Philippines administers 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines; 2.5 million fully protected
• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said it has yet to record serious adverse events after the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

Those who have been vaccinated with COVID-19 jabs usually experience non-serious discomfort such as fever, chills, headaches, and pain in the body part where the dose was injected, the agency said.

• Over 3% of COVID-19 vaccine recipients in PH reported adverse events - FDA
• Headache, fever common complaints among Filipinos after COVID-19 vaccination: DOH

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