Group fears lack of PUVs on roads due to 'no vaccine, no ride' rule

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said Sunday that it is worried over a possible lack of public utility vehicles on roads during the enforcement of the "no vaccine, no ride" rule on Monday, January 17.

Interviewed over Super Radyo dzBB,  ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said even vaccinated workers will have difficulty finding transportation to go to work because only few public utility drivers are inoculated versus COVID-19.

"Sa requirement na 'yan, marami sa manggagawa ang hindi makapasok. Kung kumpleto sila, may vaccination card, mahihirapan pa rin" (This requirement will burden workers. It will also be hard for those who have vaccination cards), said Tanjusay.

"Limitado ang jeepney at bus na lalabas kasi kakaunti lang ang vaccinated sa kanila (Jeepneys and buses will be limited as only a few drivers are vaccinated), he added.

Tanjusay further said it that the policy is "discriminatory" as it is illegal to mandate vaccination for those using mass transport.

"Ilegal dahil labag sa kautusan na vaccination program law ng bansa na nagsasabi na hindi kinakailangan i-require ang vaccination card o vaccination kapalit ng public services kagaya ng public transportation," he said.

(It is illegal because it is against the provisions of the vaccination program law which states that we don't need to require vaccination in exchange for public services such as public transportation.)

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) defended its policy to require vaccination for public transport passengers, citing as basis the Metro Manila Council's (MMC)  resolution to restrict movement of the unvaccinated. —LBG, GMA News