With overwhelmed health systems and the constant fear of contracting the virus, accounts of pregnant women who were unable to make it to hospitals in time or were forced to give birth in streets were documented. To recall, last 18 March 2021, it was reported that a locally stranded individual gave birth in the streets in Pasay with the help of her husband. The report states that the couple were from Iligan City in Lanao del Norte and were stranded in the Metro during the lockdown. They were temporarily staying in front of the World Trade Center when the wife gave birth.35 In another report a woman gives birth inside a tricycle on her way to get the results of her swab test, a requirement for hospital admission. While the woman in this case was successfully assisted by her first responders despite complications, it highlights the continuing risks posed by the current crisis exacerbated by the admission requirements. 36 Additionally, getting pregnant and giving birth during a pandemic is not only difficult as elaborated above, it is also more expensive, more difficult and challenging. Pre-natal check ups are disrupted or have to be adjusted to online or teleconsults. In giving birth, the challenge of finding a non-COVID hospital or even a COVID hospital able to accept is challenging. Some pregnant women who gave birth during the pandemic shared that costs are higher as RT-PCR tests are required prior to admission, and this cost PhP3,00-5,000. Payments to hospitals also include personal protective equipment (PPEs) used during treatment. Considering these costs, pregnant women who belong to the marginalized sectors are expected to be the most affected - most unable to access the needed care. Human rights-based and equity based vaccine roll out Fulfillment of the right to the highest attainable standards of health include access to safe, effective vaccines. However, a 2021 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey recently revealed that only 3 out of 10 adult Filipinos are willing to be vaccinated, months into the national vaccine roll out.37 Learning sessions with IWG further reflect this hesitancy - coupled with very worrying massive misinformation targeting marginalized community without access to reliable and scientific information. IWG raised concerns of the accounts they heard from neighbors and within their community - that of vaccinated individuals dying after 3 years or turning into zombies after inoculation.38 A women with disability volunteer who serves as PWD focal in her barangay also raised several issues pertaining to access to vaccine information for the deaf and visually impaired and of the need to dispel and counter fears by PWDs, as she has to convince them in her daily rounds of listing constituents for vaccines.39 These highlight 35 Mendoza, E. Woman stranded in Pasay gives birth to healthy baby on street; paramedic tells story. Inquirer. Net. 18 May 2021. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1433496/stranded-woman-in-pasay-gave-birth-on-street-paramedic-tells-full-story-2 (accessed 31 August 2021) 36 GMA News. Woman about to get swab test result give birth in tricycle. GMA News. 1 July 2021. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/793728/woman-about-to-get-swab-test-result-gives-birth-in-tricycle/story/ (accessed 31 August 2021) 37 Social Weather Stations, “First Quarter 2021 Social Weather Survey: 51% of adult Filipinos are confident, 17% are not confident about the government’s evaluation of Covid-19 vaccines, 20 May 2021, available at http://www.sws.org.ph/swsmain/artcldisppage/?artcsyscode=ART-20210520103851 (last accessed 28 August 2021) 38 CHR and Lilak Learning Sessions on Vaccines with IWG 39 Updates from Bantay Karapatan ng mga Kababaihang May Kapansanan (Women with Disability A2J Volunteer Group) 7