Senatorial candidate and incumbent Sorsogon Governor Francis ‘’Chiz’’ Escudero on Tuesday, Jan. 18 urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to recall its policy banning unvaccinated individuals from riding public transport, calling the “no vaxx, no ride” directive ‘’discriminatory and without legal basis.’’
“This is simply wrong and discriminatory,” Escudero said. “Public transport is a necessity and the vaccination status of any individual cannot and should not be used to deprive him or her of access to public transportation.”
“The equal protection and due process clause of our Constitution dictates nothing less,” according to Escudero, who is a lawyer.
Beginning January 17, commuters who are not inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines are prohibited from to taking the public buses, taxis, jeepneys, boats and commercial planes to, from and within Metro Manila based on the DOTr directive, in a new attempt by the government to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Public transportation, just like other public utilities such as water, telecoms or power, “must offer its services to the public without any discrimination or classification because it goes against the very nature of what it is—a public transportation,” he added.
“Walang matibay na basehan ng polisiyang ito ng DOTr (The DOTr policy has no strong basis). Mas magandang pagtibayin ay kung paano pa natin kukumbinsihin at hihikatayin ang mga mamamayang ayaw o takot magpabakuna at kung paano aabutin ang mahigit 30 porsyento pa ng target population na mabakunan (What should be done is to convince our countrymen who refuse to be vaccinated or are afraid being vaccinated and how to reach the 30 percent of the target population still to be vaccinated),,” he said.
Escudero has been fully vaccinated and boosted.
The National Task Force against COVID-19 said that as January 13, over 54 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated so far, representing 70 percent of the country’s target population. It is eyeing to inoculate 77 million by the end of first quarter and 90 million by the end of second quarter. Individuals who have received their booster shots are still below the five million mark.
“Buo ang tiwala at ako ay naniniwala sa bisa at proteksyon ng bakuna kaya dapat maabot pa natin ang milyon-milyong hindi pa bakunado I am fully convinced of the efficacy of the vaccine. That is why we should reach the millions of citizens still no vaccinated). Hindi naman kasi parang candy sa convenience store ang vaccine at pwedeng ma-avail any day 24/7 para sa gustong magpabakuna at nag-iisip pa kung magpapabakuna (Vaccines are not candies at convenience stores that are available 24/7 to.those who want to be vaccinated). Ilapit natin ang vaccine sa mga gustong magpa-vaccine, kumbinsihin ang ayaw magpabakuna at huwag na tayong magpilitan at magtakutan pa (Let us make vaccines available to the willing, convince those against, and there should be no force employed),” Escudero said.
In 2020, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chair Martin Delgra told a Senate public hearing of the Committee on Public Services that the agency expected at least 2 million commuters to use public transportation in Metro Manila alone with the lifting of the strict quarantine classification at the time, down 30 percent from the usual number of public transport users.
“Wala namang batas na tinatayuan ang ‘no vaxx, no ride’ policy ng DOTr (Thw DOTr ‘no vaxx, no ride’ policy has no legal basis). Dapat agad na ito ay bawiin dahil hadlang ito sa malayang paggalaw ng publiko, bakunado man o hindi (This policy must be withdrawn because it bars the free movement of people, vaccinated or not). Ang pampublikong sasakyan ay para sa lahat, para sa mga papasok sa trabaho, para sa mga may kailangang pumunta sa hospital, para sa mga may bibilhin sa botika o grocery (Public conveyances are for everybody, to those who want to work, to those who want to go to hospitals, or to those who go to pharmacies or grocery stores) ,” the Sorsogon governor pointed out.
Unless recalled, the DOTr may find itself facing legal trouble before the Supreme Court, similar to the vaccine mandate imposed on federal employees and workers of big companies in the United States which is now being challenged in courts.
“Hindi ako magtataka kung minsan ay may maghain ng petisyon sa Korte Suprema upang pigilan ang polisiya ng DOTR (I will not be surprised if somebody goes to the Supreme Court to stop the DOTr policy). Ang Pilipinas lang ata ang nag-iisa at bukod tangi sa buong mundo na nagbabawal ng mga hindi bakunado sa mga pampublikong sasakyan (I think the Philippines is the only country in the world that prohibits its unvaccinated citizens from riding public utility vehicles),” according to the senatorial candidate.
“Sana ay pag-aralang muli ng DOTr ang polisiyang ito (I hope DOTr will review this policy). Dapat ibalanse ang karapatan ng mga mamamayan ng makabiyahe at pagbibigay importansiya sa kalusugan ng bawat isa (Government must strike a balance on the right of its citizens to travel and give importance to the health needs of everyone). Ang mahalaga ay walang karapatan at pangangilangang natatapakan (What is important is that no right is covered up),” Escudero said, who once chaired the Senate Committee on Human Rights.
On the first day of its implementation, more than 100 unvaccinated commuters have been barred from taking the public transportation, according to news reports.