Commuters affected by ‘no vax, no ride’ policy may file class suit —Lacson

BOARDING PASS A staff of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic ensures that only passengers who present valid vaccination and identification cards are allowed to board buses at Edsa Bus Carousel station on Main Avenue, Quezon City, as the government implements the “no vaccination, no ride” policy in Metro Manila’s public transportation on Monday. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Filing a class suit is one of the legal remedies that commuters who were affected by the government’s “no vaccination, no ride” policy may avail of, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson who is aspiring for the presidency in the coming elections, made the suggestion after 1,700 commuters were denied rides during the first day of the policy’s implementation in Metro Manila.

“That said, those affected by the policy may avail of legal remedies like a class suit. But that is if they are prepared for a protracted legal battle,” Lacson said in a statement.

“It bears repeating that what we need from the national government is a proactive leadership – with a science-based and data-driven approach – to beat this pandemic,” he added.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday started the implementation of the “no vaccination, no ride” policy in public transport systems in a bid to protect the unvaccinated against COVID-19.

However, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and the DOTr clarified the following day that the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated workers are exempt from the policy.

“Why clarify only now? Why wait for hundreds of commuters to suffer first?,” Lacson lamented.

“Since the start of the pandemic in our country in early 2020, the national government’s action has always been reactive and late. Even the tapping of the business sector and local government units (LGUs) in the vaccination drive not only came late – their voluntary participation and offering of their own resources was even discouraged by the government through overregulation. Ano ba meron (What is the matter)?,” the senator continued.

Lacson’s running mate for the 2022 polls, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, added that the policy was not properly studied.

“Obviously, the idea did not go through contemplation. Swashbuckling at the very least!” he said.

Sotto on Tuesday shared that a group is set to file a temporary restraining order against the “no vaccination, no ride” policy. However, further details were not disclosed.

/MUF