New policy covers domestic travel to, from and within NCR
THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) will implement starting Monday (January 17) a “No Vaccination, No Ride” policy in land, rail, sea and air transportation in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has signed Department Order No. 2022-001 (DO) directing operators of the capital region’s public transports not to allow individuals who have yet to be fully inoculated with any of the COVID-19 vaccines available in the country.
The DO states that the policy will be imposed while the National Capital Region is under Alert Level 3 and will continue to be in effect when the quarantine level is escalated to Alert Level 4 or 5.
The DO covers all domestic travel to, from and within NCR, and will also cover public transportation for individuals who reside outside Metro Manila but who work and/or travel to the region.
Artemio Tuazon Jr, DOTr’s official representative to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and concurrent undersecretary for administrative service, said agencies and sectoral offices involved in the operation of public transports have been directed to allow access or issue tickets only to fully vaccinated persons.
A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving his/her second dose in a 2-dose vaccination series, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine.
Tuazon said commuters will be required to present a physical or digital copy of their vaccination cards issued by their local government unit or any IATF-prescribed document and a valid government issued ID with picture and address.
Exempted from the new policy are persons with medical conditions that prevent their full COVID-19 vaccination as shown by a duly signed medical certificate with the name and contact details of their doctor.
In addition, the order also exempted persons who will buy essential goods and services, such as but not limited to food, water, medicine, medical devices, public utilities, energy, work, and medical and dental necessities, as shown by a duly issued barangay health pass or other proof to justify travel.
Violations of the policy will be considered violations of applicable general safety and health provisions under any concession or service agreements, authority or permits to operate of public transportation, and other similar instrument.
VAX INVENTORY
In line with the government’s move to limit the mobility of unvaccinated individuals to protect them from being infected, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered barangay officials throughout the country to conduct a monthly inventory of their constituents’ COVID-19 vaccination status.
DILG undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said Año has issued the order so barangay officials can restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals amid the exponential surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Secretary Año issued a memorandum circular for all barangay nationwide to conduct an inventory to identify those who are not yet vaccinated in their barangays,” Malaya told the Laging Handa press briefing.
Malaya said Año’s order was in line with the directive issued by President Duterte last week to restrain or restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals.
The Metro Manila Council, composed of the 17 mayors of NCR, last week also unanimously approved a resolution limiting the movement of unvaccinated individuals.
Malaya said barangay officials are required to submit a report to the DILG every month.
Malaya said unvaccinated people caught going out of their residence will be sent home.
“Once a person, for example, refuses to heed, refuses to go home, then the barangay officials can make an arrest and turn them over to the nearby PNP station. Our appeal (to the unvaccinated) is to stay home,” he said.
“The directive of Secretary Año is to only resort to arrest as a last resort and not as a matter of policy that everyone who is not following the directive has to be accosted, arrested and brought to the police station,” added Malaya.
Malaya said only three out of the 17 local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila have yet to pass ordinances that would restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals. He said the three are the cities of Makati, Navotas and Pasig.
Malaya said he expects LGUs outside the NCR to also pass similar ordinances as the League of Provinces of the Philippines has recently come out with a resolution urging its members to pass similar guidelines.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said “indiscriminately punishing” the willing but have no access to COVID-19 vaccines is “unfair.”
“Indiscriminately punishing even the willing but have no choice due to government shortcomings in providing for their protection should first be considered before taking a drastic action of possibly denying those people their means of livelihood to feed their families,” Lacson said.
He, however, said that it will be a different situation if vaccines are readily available to everyone.
“By all means, we have the right to be insulated from a higher risk of infection. At least both sides have an option,” he said.
Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao urged the government not to treat unvaccinated people as “criminals” as he called on authorities not to curtail their mobility as long as they observe the mandatory health and safety protocols.
Pacquiao said unvaccinated Filipinos should also not be forced to get the jabs, instead, authorities should convince them by properly explaining the benefits of being inoculated against COVID-19.
He said having a vaccine should remain to be a personal choice unless there is a law that mandates people to be jabbed.
“Let us not treat them like criminals. Let us not curtail their right to work or buy necessities. I am calling on the DILG, PNP, and DOTr not to force our countrymen to get vaccinated if this is against their beliefs. Let us convince them, explain to them the benefits but do not force them,” Pacquiao said. — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
