How do people in the Philippines who identify as vaccine-hesitant view themselves in terms of a ‘moral’ dimension? Using data from ongoing qualitative fieldwork, this paper frames vaccine hesitancy as a ‘moral’ issue; in other words, as a phenomenon shaped by and predicated on personal, interpersonal, and social value systems. While it is convenient to lump the vaccine-hesitant under the much-derided, umbrella term of “anti-vaxxer,” this paper argues for a more nuanced approach to unpacking the world views and belief systems of these individuals. Drawing on Takunda Matose’s conception of ‘moral equality’ in relation to anti-vaccination sentiments, it presents the perspectives and experiences of those who have experienced actively delaying or refusing vaccinations in an attempt to understand the full incubation process that culminates in people’s decisions to do so. In so doing, it permits a glimpse into how vaccine-hesitant individuals in the Philippines have conceived of the pandemic, situated themselves in health crises, and conceptualize a future where COVID-19 is no longer a “global health emergency.” While the favored outcomes to addressing vaccine hesitancy have largely been viewed through a biomedical lens, this paper argues for the necessity of a socio-anthropologic approach to the phenomenon, and a recognition of highly variable and individual discernment as foundational to its persistence.
