Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday approved the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council to administer the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots for children ages 12 to 17.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the department is still drafting the guidelines for its use, noting that it that the rules will be released soon.

The vaccination of children for 12-17 age group started in September 2021.

Based on the government data, as of June 17, more than 70 million of the target population have been fully vaccinated.

Around 14.7 million have received their first booster shot, while 648,555 got their second booster dose.