Willingness to Donate to a Non-Government COVID-19 Vaccination Initiative

• Main Authors: Tan, Nelson Matthew P, Palanca-Tan, Rosalina
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2023
• Subjects: altruism; covid-19 pandemic; vaccine; stated willingness to donate; determinants of charitable giving; Economics; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/economics-faculty-pubs/215
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Vaccination is considered to be an effective preventive and long-term control measure for the COVID-19 pandemic and its negative economic consequences. Up to October 202, vaccination coverage in the Philippines was just about 25%. Budget and government inefficiency issues pose serious challenges in the implementation of a timely and far-reaching vaccination program for the whole country. This calls for some non-government initiatives in administering and distributing the vaccine. NGOs have the potential to mobilise manpower and coordinate with private hospitals, clinics, pharmacies; and manufacturers to augment and improve the implementation of the government vaccination program. But the scope and extent of NGO assistance and support are dependent on the amount of donations these NGOs receive for their initiatives This paper looks into the viability of non-government vaccination initiatives in the Philippines by asking Filipinos’ willingness to donate to such initiatives in a contingent valuation survey format. Survey results indicate that about half (56.83%) of respondents are willing to make an average lump-sum donation of PhP8,978. Regression analysis reveals that older individuals are more likely to donate, and that the amount of donation increases with income. Further, although married respondents are less likely to donate, the average size of donation of a married donor is higher. The results mirror the inherent capacity of Filipinos for altruism and mutual support in times of crisis