Republic of the Philippines Department of Health Philippines COVID-19 Emergency Response Project (P173877) and First and Second Additional Financing Projects (P175953 and P177884) ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) [November 2021] ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) 1. The Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter the Borrower) through the Department of the Health (hereinafter the DOH) shall implement the Philippines COVID-19 emergency Response Project including the activities to be supported under the Additional Financing (the Project), with the involvement of other relevant governmental agencies/departments/units at the national, regional, and local levels on Project implementation as may be necessary. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereinafter the Bank) has agreed to provide financing for the Project. 2. The Borrower shall carry out the Project in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). To this end, this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions to be carried out or caused to be carried out by the Borrower, including the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements, grievance management and the environmental and social assessments and instruments to be prepared or updated, disclosed, consulted, adopted and implemented under the ESCP and the ESSs, all in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 3. Implementation of the material measures and actions set out in this ESCP shall be monitored and reported to the Bank by the Borrower as required by the ESCP and the provisions of the Loan Agreement. 4. As agreed by the Bank and the Borrower, this ESCP may be revised from time to time during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to assessment of Project performance conducted under the ESCP itself. In such circumstances, the Borrower, through Department of Health shall update the ESCP to reflect the agreed-upon changes. Agreement on changes to the ESCP shall be documented through an exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the Borrower, through Department of Health. The Borrower, through the DOH, shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 5. Where Project changes, unforeseen circumstances, or Project performance result in changes to the risks and impacts during Project implementation, the Borrower shall provide additional funds, if needed, to implement actions and measures to address such risks and impacts. 2 | Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) RESPONSIBLE MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME ENTITY/AUTHORITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING: Prepare and submit to the Bank regular Quarterly reports shall be submitted no DOH monitoring reports on the environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) later than 5 days after the end of each performance of the Project, including but not limited to, the implementation reporting period throughout Project of the ESCP, status of preparation, and implementation of environmental implementation. and social (hereinafter E&S) documents required under the ESCP, stakeholder engagement activities and grievances log. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS: Promptly notify the Bank of any incident or Notify the Bank within 48 working hours DOH, Contractors, and Health accident related to the Project which has, or is likely to have, a significant after learning of the incident or accident Care Facilities adverse effect on the environment, the affected communities, the public or following incident classification defined workers, including, inter alia, any COVID-19 outbreak in the Project area, in the ESMF. improper disposal of healthcare wastes from diagnosis, treatment, and immunization activities and incidents related to security and military personnel following incident classification defined in the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). For incidents related to adverse events following immunization (AEFI), the DOH reporting mechanism for AEFI monitoring and response shall be followed. Provide enough details regarding the incident or accident, indicating immediate measures taken or that are planned to be taken to address it, and any information provided by any contractor and supervising entity, as appropriate. Subsequently, as per the Bank’s request, prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: Maintain Project Director and Project By effectiveness for new staff under the DOH Manager positions, supported by qualified staff and resources to support Additional Financing management of Environment, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) of the Project. The composition of key staff for ESHS includes a coordinator; Key staff for ESHS maintained environmental specialists, each for civil works and for vaccination activities; throughout Project implementation. a social specialist; a risk communication specialist; a vaccine specialist and a monitoring and evaluation specialist. Additional personnel for the second additional financing are field liaison officers for (1) NCR and North Luzon; (1) Central and South Luzon; and (2) Visayas-Mindanao clusters, one of whom will be in-charge of the BARMM concerns. 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT/ MANAGEMENT PLANS AND INSTRUMENT/ CONTRACTORS a. Update and disclose relevant baseline data and include additional risk a. One month following effectiveness DOH assessments associated with COVID-19 scale up in the ESMF. 3|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) b. Implement the ESMF that has been prepared for the Project, in a manner b. Throughout the Project DOH acceptable to the Bank to ensure that individuals or groups who, implementation because of their particular circumstances and vulnerability, may be disadvantaged to access the development benefits resulting from the Project. Assess the ESHS risks and impacts of proposed Project activities, in accordance with the ESMF adopted for the Project and relevant Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), and other relevant Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), including relevant World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. c. Perform environmental and social due diligence for eligible expenditures c. Prior to disbursement of DOH being proposed for retroactive financing, as relevant. retroactive financing d. Prepare, disclose, consult, adopt and implement any environmental and social management plans (ESMPs), Environmental Code of Practice d. Plans/instruments shall be DOH, Contractors, and Health (ECOP) or other instruments such as the COVID-19 Infection Prevention prepared, disclosed, consulted Care Facilities and Control Checklist and the COVID-19 Waste Management and adopted prior to Compliance Checklist or other measures required for the respective implementation of specific Project activities based on the assessment process, in accordance with activities with impacts, and the ESSs, the ESMF, the EHSGs, and other relevant Good International thereafter implemented Industry Practice (GIIP), including relevant WHO guidelines. throughout Project e. Ensure access to and allocation of Project benefits, including COVID-19 implementation. vaccines, in a fair, equitable and inclusive manner, taking into account the needs of individuals or groups who, because of their particular e. Throughout the Project DOH circumstances, may be disadvantaged or vulnerable, in line with the implementation WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination. f. Incorporate the relevant aspects of this ESCP, including, inter alia, the f. The relevant ESHS measures DOH, concerned procurement ESMF, any environmental and social management plans or other shall be incorporated into the agencies/ offices instruments, ESS2 requirements, and any other required ESHS procurement documents before measures, into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents launching the procurement and contracts with contractors and supervising firms. Upon approval, process for the relevant Project ensure that the contractors and supervising firms comply with the ESHS activities and shall thereafter be specifications of their respective contracts. complied with throughout the carrying out of such activities. 1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT/ MANAGEMENT PLANS AND INSTRUMENT/ CONTRACTORS a. The Borrower shall inform the Bank in a timely manner of any proposed a. Throughout the carrying out of such DOH changes in policy, procedures, protocols and/or measures related to activities. mandatory vaccination, assess the social risks and impacts of such proposals in accordance with the ESSs and the ESMF and, if so requested by the Bank, update the ESMF to include appropriate social 4|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) risk mitigation measures and thereafter implement such measures in a manner acceptable to the Bank. Without limitation on the foregoing, the Borrower shall adopt and monitor the implementation of procedures, protocols and/or other measures to ensure Project beneficiaries that receive vaccines under the Project do so under a program that does not include forced vaccinations, as set out in the ESMF. b. Assess climate and disaster risks and mainstream climate change b. Prior to implementation of the adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures in the Additional relevant Project activities Financing activities, for incorporation in the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP). Ensure that the various components of the NDVP (e.g., planning and coordination, delivery strategies) are consistent with the provisions of the Climate Change (CC) Act and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act and its instrumentalities, in a manner acceptable to the Bank. c. Assess the ozone depleting potential, chemical safety and c. Review the type(s) of cold storage environmental-soundness of refrigerants and the energy-efficiency of refrigerants to be used and ensure the cold storages and refrigerated transport of vaccines in accordance compliance to the Montreal with the Philippines’ Montreal Protocol phaseout targets, and include the Protocol targeted phaseout environmental mitigation measures in the ESMPs, to be monitored commitment of the Philippines. through the monitoring report requirement to be submitted by the Monitoring of the use of cold operator/service provider. storage refrigerants, chemical safety and energy-efficiency will be d. Monitor the number of vaccinated individuals with serious Adverse conducted throughout the Project Events Following Immunization (AEFI) and maintain coordination with duration. the National and Regional Committees for AEFIs. d. Continuous monitoring and e. Conduct in-house mid-term audit of overall compliance to ESF reporting of AEFIs and instruments, COVID-19 Waste Management Compliance Checklist, and implementation of the relevant CC Act and DRRM Act and its instrumentalities. Engage third party guidelines monitor, as deemed appropriate and agreed upon between the World Bank and DOH, to provide an independent perspective on health care e. Prior to the mid-term review of the waste management (HCWM) performance of health care facilities to Project (MTR). complement the in-house audit. 1.4 EXCLUSIONS: Exclude the following types of activities as ineligible for DOH financing under the Project: a. Activities that may cause long term, permanent, unprecedented and/or a-e. During the assessment process irreversible (e.g., loss of major natural habitat) adverse impacts. conducted under action 1.2.a. above. b. Activities that have high probability of causing serious adverse effects to human health and/or the environment not related to COVID-19 treatment 5|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) c. Activities that may have significant adverse social impacts and may give rise to significant social conflict d. Activities that may involve resettlement or land acquisition or adverse impacts on cultural heritage e. All the other excluded activities set out in the ESMF of the Project. 1.5 CONTINGENT EMERGENCY RESPONSE FINANCING a. The E&S management plans or DOH instruments shall be prepared, a. Prepare, adapt, disclose, consult and adopt any E&S management plans disclosed, consulted, and thereafter and/or instruments required under the Emergency Response Operation adopted before the carrying out of Manual (EROM) and thereafter implement the measures and actions the relevant Project activities under required under the said E&S management plans or instruments, within Component 4 (Contingent the timeframes specified in the said E&S management plans and/or Emergency Response) of the instruments. Project. The E&S management plans or instruments shall be b. Prepare, disclose, consult and adopt an ESMF addendum with the implemented in accordance with situation-specific environmental and social risk assessments and their terms, throughout Project management measures if the current ESMF measures envisaged do not implementation. fit the activities of the CERC. b. Prior to CERC activation. ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2. LABOR MANAGEMENT: implement applicable Labor Management Throughout Project implementation. DOH, Service providers, and Procedures included in the ESMF including through, inter alia, implementing Civil Work Contractors adequate occupational health and safety measures (including personal protective equipment, and emergency preparedness and response measures), and setting out grievance redress mechanisms for Project workers. Incorporate labor requirements into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents and contracts for civil works and supervision firms. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 3. a. Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under Throughout Project implementation. a, b, c and d. DOH action 1.2 above, including, inter alia, measures to: carry out the purchase, storage, transportation, handling and deployment of vaccines (including, ultra-cold chain management) in a safe manner and in accordance with DOH Green and Safe Health Facilities Manual (2021), the EHSGs, and other relevant GIIP including relevant WHO guidelines; and adequately manage and dispose of health care wastes (including, vaccines) and other types of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. b. Continuous assessment and monitoring of the Philippine HCWM system for increased volumes associated with COVID-19 cases and immunization activities, and the development of a road map as basis for 6|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) the implementation of a National HCWM Manual, COVID-19 Waste Management Sourcebook and Safe and Green Healthcare to support the management of COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, and immunization activities nationwide. c. In coordination with concerned DOH offices, other relevant national and regional government agencies, and the World Bank, conduct learning and development intervention (LDI) and orientation of Centers for Health Development (CHDs) and LGU Bakuna Centers on requirements described in the ESMF, National HCWM Manual, COVID-19 Waste Management Sourcebook and Safe and Green Healthcare Manual. d. Include in the mid-term audit in 1.2 the compliance to the HCWM system through the COVID-19 Waste Management Compliance Checklist provided in the COVID-19 Waste Management Sourcebook. ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY: a. Throughout Project implementation DOH a. Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under action 1.2 above including, inter alia, measures to: minimize the potential for community exposure to communicable diseases; establish and implement appropriate quality management systems to manage the risks and the impacts that services provided and activities carried out under the Project may have on community health and safety; manage the risks of the use of security personnel; manage the risks of labor influx; and prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. b. Prior to procurement of new logistic b. Incorporate, as applicable, provisions of traffic management and road firm(s) or contract amendment of the safety plans, and emergency preparedness and response planning for existing firm. Monitoring throughout cold chain management during power outages and natural disasters in the Term of References (TOR) of third-party vaccine logistic firm(s) and implementation of specific activities monitor their implementation. in the TOR 4.2 USE OF MILITARY OR SECURITY PERSONNEL: The following measures DOH shall be adopted, to ensure that the engagement of security or military personnel in the implementation of Project activities for provision of security a. Assessment carried out in the same to Project workers, sites and/or assets, is carried out in accordance with the timeframe as action 1.2 a) above and ESSs: any required measures shall be a. Assess the risks and impacts of engagement of the security or military adopted before deploying security or personnel, as part of the assessment referred to in action 1.2 a) above, military personnel under the Project and implement measures to manage such risks and impacts, Security and thereafter implemented throughout Management Procedures to be included in the Project ESMF and Project Project implementation. Operations Manual (POM) as indicated in Loan Agreement and guided 7|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) by the principles of proportionality and Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), and by applicable law, in relation to hiring, rules of conduct, training, equipping, and monitoring of such security or military personnel; b. Adopt and enforce standards, protocols and codes of conduct for the b, c and d. Before deploying security or selection and use of security or military personnel and screen such military personnel under the Project personnel to verify that they have not engaged in past unlawful or and thereafter throughout Project abusive behavior, including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual implementation. harassment (SH) or excessive use of force. c. Ensure that such personnel are adequately instructed and trained, prior to deployment and on a regular basis, on the use of force and appropriate conduct (including in relation to civilian-military engagement, SEA and SH, and other relevant areas), as set out in the Project Operations Manual/Vaccine Delivery and Distribution Manual and ESMF. d. Ensure that the stakeholder engagement activities under the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) include a communication strategy on the involvement of security or military personnel under the Project. e. Ensure that any concerns or grievances regarding the conduct of e. as set out under actions 10.1 and security or military personnel are received, monitored, documented 10.2 respectively. (taking into account the need to protect confidentiality), resolved through the Project’s grievance mechanism (see action 10.2 below). ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT Not relevant. ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES Not relevant ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES 7.1 MEASURES FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: The Project shall be carried out in accordance with the applicable requirements of ESS7, including, inter alia: a, b, and c. Throughout Project DOH, in collaboration with implementation, reporting on a Indigenous Peoples health a. Implement the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) to ensure coverage indicator amongst Indigenous practitioners and National meaningful consultations with Indigenous Peoples throughout Project Peoples every six months or at the Commission on Indigenous implementation. request of the World Bank. Peoples as relevant 8|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) 7.1 b. Implement procedures, protocols and/or other measures to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have access to Project benefits in a fair, equitable, inclusive and culturally appropriate manner, including, among others, as relevant, with regards to vaccines in line with the WHO SAGE values framework for the allocation and prioritization of COVID-19 vaccination. c. Implement measures to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are able to access the Project’s grievance redress mechanism in a culturally appropriate manner. d. Report and update the share of population coverage receiving COVID- d. every six months or at the request of DOH, in collaboration with 19 vaccines amongst Indigenous Peoples as part of the monitoring and the World Bank Indigenous Peoples health evaluation indicator as defined in the Project Operation Manual (POM) practitioners and National and NDVP. Commission on Indigenous Peoples as relevant e. Undertake an analysis of COVID-19 vaccination coverage and e. every six months throughout the implementation practices, including key perceptions on aspects related study period following firm recruitment to equity of access, socio-cultural acceptance, accessibility of public information, vaccine hesitancy and other relevant aspects that may affect the Project implementation in regions with high concentration of Indigenous Peoples. ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE Not relevant N/A N/A ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES Not relevant N/A N/A ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN: implement a Stakeholder Throughout Project implementation, DOH Engagement Plan (SEP) consistent with ESS10, which shall include with time-to-time updates as the Project measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, activities are being implemented. understandable and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination and intimidation. The SEP shall also include measures to provide relevant information to the public about the use of security personnel in Project activities, including providing security at health facilities. For the purpose of vaccination targeting the general population groups aged between 12 – 17, engage associations of Pediatricians to share existing knowledge and prepare an information brief for policy makers at provincial and LGU levels and organize virtual townhall sessions to inform parents, non-government organizations/civil society organizations 9|Page NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) (NGOs/CSOs) as well as the general public about benefits of vaccinating adolescents and relevant AEFI management. 10.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM: maintain an accessible feedback and Maintained and enhanced throughout DOH grievance redress mechanism (or hereinafter FGRM), with adequate Project implementation. resources to promptly and effectively receive and facilitate resolution of concerns and grievances in relation to the Project. The FGRM shall be implemented in a transparent, culturally appropriate and readily accessible manner to all Project-affected parties, at no cost and without retribution, including concerns and grievances filed anonymously, in a manner consistent with ESS10. Grievances shall be documented through the Project’s grievance mechanism and reported to the Bank following incident classification defined in the ESMF. The grievance mechanism shall also receive, register and address concerns and grievances related to the, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) and Violence against Children (VAC) in a safe and confidential manner, including through the referral of survivors to gender- based violence service providers. The grievance mechanism shall also receive, register and address concerns arising from unintended health consequences after vaccination especially those resulting in serious AEFIs. The AEFI protocols of the Government of the Philippines and the DOH should also be observed in case of AEFIs attributed to COVID-19 vaccination under the project. CAPACITY SUPPORT (TRAINING) CS1 The DOH and other relevant implementing support staff responsible for the Throughout the Project DOH Project, including the E&S Focal Points, to receive orientation on the implementation, during staff on- Project’s environmental and social instruments, CoC and prevention of boarding for new Project staff SEA/SH and VAC, the relevant requirements of the ESMF, SEP, LMP, COVID-19 Healthcare Wastes Management Manual (HCWM Manual and Waste Management Sourcebook), Green and Safe Health Facilities Manual, ICWMP, WHO guidelines on COVID-19, ESHS plans and instruments, fair, equitable and inclusive access and allocation of Project benefits including on aspects related to equitable access to vaccines, and the roles and responsibilities of different key agencies in the ESF implementation. CS2 Contractors to receive training on the relevant aspects of the Project’s ESF Prior to deployment and throughout DOH instruments. Project implementation. CS3 Security and military personnel to receive training on SEA/SH, VAC and Prior to deployment and throughout DOH awareness on child protection protocols, on Sexually Transmitted Diseases Project implementation. (STDs) and other communicable diseases. 10 | P a g e NAME OF PROJECT: PHILIPPINES COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT (PCERP) CS4 COVID-19 vaccine administration for the program coordinators and Prior to the administration of COVID-19 DOH implementers, surveillance teams, community health educators and workers vaccines to target priority populations. and partner agencies to receive capacity building training from the concerned DOH offices. 11 | P a g e