Unvaccinated persons still restricted under some Metro Manila LGUs

Metro Manila LGUs may still impose their own restrictions, including those on unvaccinated persons, says Chairman Benhur Abalos of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MANILA, Philippines — As Metro Manila reverts to Alert Level 2, the “no vaccination, no ride” policy would no longer take effect, but its local governments can still give orders to maintain this rule and other restrictions, such as those on unvaccinated persons, in their areas, said Benhur Abalos, chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), on Tuesday.

“Whether [local governments] could still enact this policy? Yes. This is one of the autonomous powers given to the [local governments],” Abalos told reporters at a virtual press briefing.

He also said that based on the department order issued by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade in January, the “no vaccination, no ride” rule was automatically lifted should the capital region be deescalated to alert level 2 or lower.

As of Tuesday, Metro Manila (also known as the National Capital Region, or NCR) and seven provinces nationwide were placed under the less restrictive alert level.

But for transport groups, the “no vaccination, no ride” policy should not make a return at all, even if Metro Manila would be raised again to alert level 3 or higher.

Allow all public transport

Ira Cruz, director of transport advocates group AltMobility PH, is calling on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to totally revoke the policy, as well as checkpoints verifying vaccine cards and checking on bicycles and motorcycles.

“In its place … the government [should] roll out more realistic policies to support the campaign for people to get vaccinated,” Cruz told the Inquirer.

Cruz also suggests that the DOTr should focus on the “much-needed reforms” when it comes to transportation and mobility, which is to increase the supply of public transportation, and “good-quality, permanent” protected bike lanes and sidewalks.

Transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) also echoed the same call, claiming that the “no vax, no ride” policy would only affect the economy.

“What they (DOTr) should do is to allow all public transportation to fully operate amid the pandemic,” said Mody Floranda, president of Piston.

Separate ordinances

Abalos said restrictions on the movements of unvaccinated persons remain in force in some parts of Metro Manila even after it had already shifted to Alert Level 2 status.

He said only the cities of Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig and Valenzuela enacted ordinances that automatically lifted movement restrictions when the metropolis reverted from Alert Level 3 to 2 starting Tuesday.

In Caloocan, Quezon City and Pasay, Abalos said the mayors were expected to issue executive orders relaxing restrictions while in the town of Pateros, the municipal council will be discussing the rules for the unvaccinated on Wednesday.

As the MMDA has no law-making power, the NCR local governments separately adopted ordinances and other regulations to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated persons in early January following a surge of COVID-19 cases attributed to the more transmissible Omicron variant.

The MMDA and the interior department suggested the adoption of a uniform ordinance stating, among other things, that the restrictions could only take effect while Metro Manila was on Alert Level 3 from Jan. 3 to Jan. 31. However, not all local governments adopted the suggestion and not all local governments adopted ordinances.

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