The government announced that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated workers in Metro Manila can use public transport for the next 30 days starting today, January 26.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, and Transportation Secretary Art Tugade decided after considering the vaccination situation in the capital region.
The government is currently implementing “no vaccination, no ride” policy in areas under Alert Level 3 status and up. Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until the end of the month.
“Within the 30-day window, partially vaccinated workers are still allowed to board public transportation,” the joint statement read.
“However, since partially unvaccinated individuals are still at risk given that they do not have complete protection against the virus as clarified by the Health Department, they will not be allowed to use public transportation if vaccination remains incomplete within the 30-day window,” it added.
According to DOTr Undersecretary for Administrative Service and official representative to the Inter-Agency Task Force Artemio Tuazon Jr., the 30-day should urge workers to complete their COVID-19 doses.
Partially vaxxed NCR workers allowed in public transport for 30 days
“We are giving our workers the time to get themselves vaccinated. This joint decision is meant to support the vaccination drive of the entire government,” Tuazon said.
“We want our workers to get fully vaccinated, especially now that there is no longer a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, and there is a threat of highly transmissible variants of the virus,” he added.
However, Tuazon reiterated that the “no vaccination, no ride” policy is not discriminatory.
“As jointly decided by the DOLE, DILG and DOTr, workers who will remain unvaccinated 30 days after the announcement are not being barred from their workplaces. They are simply not allowed to use public transportation, but can still use other means such as active transport, private vehicles, or company shuttle services,” he said.
Last week, officials clarified that the “no vaccination, no ride” policy on public transportation does not include workers entering work, even if they have not been vaccinated or have only had the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
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