Quezon City to strictly regulate mobility of unvaccinated persons

QC mayor Joy Belmonte speaking in first flag ceremony this new year

The Quezon City Council has passed and approved on third and final reading an Ordinance regulating the mobility of unvaccinated persons for COVID-19 within the city.

Introduced by Councilors Eric Medina, Franz Pumaren, Donny Matias, and Jun Ferrer, Jr, this was in compliance with the Metro Manila Council issued Resolution No.22-01, series of 2022, urging LGUs to enact local laws for enhanced restrictions on the unvaccinated.

“We have to implement necessary measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in our city, especially that cases are rising, and with the presence of different variants in the country,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“We appeal to those who are not yet vaccinated to get shots as soon as they can because these vaccines are safe and can protect them from getting critically ill from COVID-19. Those who have not yet received their booster shots are encouraged to do the same,” Belmonte reiterated.

The new Ordinance states that non-fully vaccinated workers shall be required to undergo RT-PCR tests every two weeks at their personal expense and present a COVID-19 negative result prior to being admitted for work on site. If that RT-PCR test or result are not immediately available, a Rapid Antigen Test may be utilized.

The QC Council gave employers the option to provide a non-fully vaccinated employee or worker a grace period of one month to obtain his/her first COVID-19 vaccination shot. As long as the employee obtains the first shot within the grace period, and subsequently obtains any required second shot as prescribed for the concerned vaccine, the employee shall not be required to take the bi-weekly test.

QC mayor Joy Belmonte with LGU officials

“This amendment was added by the City Council in recognition of the prohibitive expense in obtaining RT-PCR tests given that most unvaccinated persons in our City, are coming from depressed communities,” Vice Mayor Gian Sotto said.

The City Council also added that a person with a medical condition, which prevents full COVID-19 vaccination, may be exempted provided that his or her employer should submit a medical certification from a physician.

A person found violating the Ordinance shall be penalized P500, P1,000, and P3,000 for the first, second, and third offense, respectively.

An establishment found to be in violation, (including but not limited to allowing non-fully vaccinated persons to enter the establishment for non-essential reasons) shall also be fined P3,000 for the first offense, P5,000 and suspension of business permit and temporary closure order for second offense, and P5,000 and cancellation of business permit and closure order for the third offense.

In addition, any individual or establishment that falsifies the COVID-19 vaccine card shall be prosecuted under Ordinance SP 3032-2021, also known as “Ordinance Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud,” without prejudice to prosecution under other applicable laws.

The Ordinance shall remain effective until the City Mayor, upon recommendation of the City Health Department, determines the emergency public health measures contained in the Ordinance are no longer necessary.