Pasig begins imposing movement restrictions for unvaccinated persons

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto. PHOTO FROM SOTTO’S TWITTER

MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Pasig City on Thursday issued an ordinance restricting the movement of unvaccinated citizens amid the exponential growth in COVID-19 cases.

Mayor Vico Sotto said this on Twitter, making Pasig the latest city to impose the ordinance in accordance with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Resolution 22-01, Series of 2022, regulating the mobility of unvaccinated individuals.

“Alinsunod sa direktiba ng nasyonal na pamahalaan at sa pagkakasundo ng mga miyembro ng MMC (Metro Manila Council), nagpasa ang ating Konseho ng ordinansa kung saan nililimitahan ang paggalaw ng mga hindi pa bakunado,” said Sotto.

(In consonance with the directive of the national government and the agreement of the members of the MMC, our city council has passed an ordinance limiting the movement of people who are unvaccinated.)

With the newly passed ordinance, unvaccinated people are not allowed to go out except when buying essential goods and accessing essential services as well as outdoor exercise.

Unvaccinated individuals will still be allowed for onsite reporting for work but they must undertake RT-PCR test every two weeks at their own expense and present a COVID-19 negative result prior to being admitted for onsite work.

If there are no RT-PCR tests immediately available, a rapid Antigen test will suffice.

This testing requirement, however, will not apply to those who:

• Can present a medical certificate stating that his/her doctor recommends that he/she not be vaccinated
• Can present a certificate of membership of a religious sector that does not allow any vaccination or are partially vaccinated and are waiting for their second dose.

Individuals who violate the ordinance will then face a penalty of P1,000 worth of fine or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months, at the discretion of the proper court.

Businesses, on the other hand, will pay a fine worth P5,000 and suspension of business permit and license to operate for seven days.

Alinsunod sa direktiba ng nasyonal na pamahalaan at sa pagkakasundo ng mga miyembro ng MMC, nagpasa ang ating Konseho ng ordinansa kung saan NILILIMITAHAN ANG PAGGALAW NG MGA HINDI PA BAKUNADO.

🤓 Paki basa po nang maigi ang mga EXCEPTIONS. pic.twitter.com/E4rWv3rYtZ

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) January 13, 2022

Pasig City is one of the last LGUs to pass the ordinance restricting the movement of unvaccinated individuals.

Only two remaining cities, specifically Makati and Navotas City, have yet to pass the said ordinance.

As of Tuesday, active cases in the country sit at 237,387, with 3,092,427 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

JPV