Around 100 commuters left jeeps as ''no vaxx, no ride'' in NCR takes effect
Around 100 commuters had leave their jeeps Monday after they were not able to show their vaccination cards to enforcers belonging to the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) began its '' no vaxx, no ride'' policy , dzBB reported Monday.
Sixty seven passengers were asked by enforcers to leave the jeeps at Quezon Avenue, dzBB added.
Assistant Transport Secretary Godess Hope Libiran, citing Transportation Undersecretary Artemio Tuazon, said ''In the next few days, citation tickets will be issued.''
The DOTr announced last week it was imposing this policy as long as Alert Level Three remained in the National Capital Region (NCR). The NCR was the center of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in record high cases.
OCTA Research Fellow Guido David said random antigen tests on Jan. 12 and 13 at the MRT show a positivity rate of 12 percent.
Some quarters said to allow only vaccinated commuters and drivers resembled discrimination. Senate President Tito Sotto, in his Twitter account, said the COVID-19 vaccination cards ''shall not be considered as an additional mandatory requirement for educational, employment and other similar government transaction purposes.''
Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Rueda Acosta told radio and TV interviews this was not legal.
''There is a violation of human rights. This is discriminatory, unconstitutional and this is against human rights,'' she told dzBB.
Alan Tanjusay, spokesman of the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, said: ''In principle, we agree that this is a violation. This is not only discrimination but illegal because this ( no vaxx, no ride) is against the law.''
However, Transport Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Rainer Paul Yebra the policy does not stop unvaccinated persons from travelling.
''Unvaccinated persons can travel using other modes, not only public transportation. Remember that the so-called right to ride needs to be balanced with our responsibility as transport regulator to maintain and preserve safe travel,'' said Yebra. DMS
