Cebu Province Rejects 'No Vaccine, No Ride': Governor
Cebu province won't implement the "no vaccine, no ride" policy in public transportation because COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory under the law, its governor said Tuesday.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act, does not provide for vaccine cards as a requirement for education, employment, and other government transaction purposes, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said in a Facebook Live.
"I think the law is very clear. How else can we interpret this other than saying that there should be no mandatory requirement of vaccine cards so that people may enter establishments, may enter schools, may go to work or may enter government buildings or avail of government services? It's very clear."
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She also questioned the claim that the unvaccinated are spreading the coronavirus when vaccinated individuals are not considered immune from COVID-19, as stated in the vaccination program act.
"I think we are starting to get confused in treating the unvaccinated as carriers of this virus if in fact the vaccinated are not considered immune and therefore may also catch this virus?" she said.
Cebu is implementing a "no overloading" policy in public vehicles, with open windows and no air conditioning, Garcia said. Drivers are required to wear face masks and air purifiers, she said.
"There will be no further requirement like the presentation of the vaccination card. That is anti-poor. How can you require everyone to have this vaccination card presented for them to avail of pblic transport?"
"Please, let us follow the law. We seem to have forgotten this. We are still a nation of laws, right? Not of men? In the province of Cebu, we will not discriminate."
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