MANILA (2nd UPDATE)— The Philippines will begin nationwide COVID-19 vaccination of all minors aged 12 to 17 on November 3, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

It initially announced that the expansion of the pediatric vaccination will start on November 5.

There are some 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in 2021, the DOH said, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will still be used among children during the nationwide rollout. Further details and the guidelines with regard to the nationwide expansion of pediatric vaccination will be released once finalized,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a statement.

Government earlier this month began the vaccination of children with existing health conditions following the approval of Pfizer and Moderna for minors.

Some 18,666 children with health risks have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Metro Manila as of Tuesday, the DOH said.

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Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the pilot rollout of COVID-19 jabs to minors with comorbidities, which began mid-October, showed “good results.”

The Philippines aims to inoculate at least 77 million to achieve population protection against the respiratory illness as more transmissible variants emerge.

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The country's total COVID-19 infections has reached 2,765,672 as of Tuesday. Of this figure, 53,642 or 1.9 percent were active infections, according to the DOH.

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