“It is rather difficult to implement half-baked or dubious policies that will likely deter compliance.”
While Metro Manila is faced with the threat of the fast-spreading omicron virus, executive departments scramble to prevent its transmission in public and populated places in and out of the region. Many areas have been placed under localized lockdowns and stricter measures have been imposed upon unvaccinated individuals.
Among these measures is the controversial no vax, no ride policy. Absent a vaccination card to prove having COVID-19 shots, public commuters are barred from taking buses, jeepneys, trains, and other forms of public transportation. Instead, these individuals are forced to either stay at home or to find other means of traveling.
Several groups including lawyers, human rights advocates, and labor groups slammed this policy, alleging its unconstitutionality and violation of human rights. However, the Department of Transportation insisted on its validity, citing the intent to protect the entire population from further spread of the virus. DOTr also said that the Department of Justice backed the implementation of the said policy in its legal opinion, claiming that the issuance of local ordinances upholding this policy is a valid exercise of the State’s police power and that the policy falls under the public health exception in the regulation of the right to travel.
Although the policy seeks good intentions to address the pandemic, we cannot disregard the constitutionally-protected rights of the citizens. Understandably, there is a dilemma in balancing the right of the people, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, to health and the people’s freedom of movement. While it is true that most of the COVID-19 critical cases and deaths recorded in the country are from unvaccinated individuals, they themselves cannot be automatically considered carriers of the virus. It should be considered that there are people who have been unvaccinated up to this day and yet have never contracted the disease.
Hence, the government cannot shove the vaccines into the faces of the unconvinced public and force them to take the shots. Although we know that vaccines truly make a difference in lowering COVID-19 cases in the country, we need to come up with other ways that will help increase the country’s vaccination rate.
Perhaps, what we need is a responsive information drive on the benefits of the vaccines. Instead of compelling people against their will, we need to respond to their information needs to help clear doubts regarding the known effects of the vaccines. We cannot disregard the rampant misinformation and disinformation going around in social media and the internet that affect the public’s impression on vaccines. Hence, apart from establishing vaccination sites in populated terminals, perhaps it would be better to have more visible and approachable health professionals that can help empower the general riding public to make informed decisions regarding their own health.
At the same time, I call on the executive department to come together for a more unified stance and consistent policies that will avoid confusion and doubts among the people. If we are to resolve and deal with this pandemic, it is highly important that the entire government shares a common goal and a united approach. It is rather difficult to implement half-baked or dubious policies that will likely deter compliance.
Most importantly, unvaccinated people are widely recognized to have greater risk of getting infected. While we respect the right of these people to informed consent, it is important that they understand the concomitant need to be more careful and compliant with public health and safety protocols. Bearing the risks of being unvaccinated comes the responsibility of protecting one’s self and everyone else, as it is a public duty in this pandemic. Hence, I urge the unvaccinated to strictly follow the protocols and, at the same time, lend an ear to the truths and benefits of the vaccines. Hopefully soon, with a well-informed citizenry, it may lead to better health-seeking behaviors among the public in general.