COVID-19 CRISIS

Metro Manila mayors say time not yet right for 'vaccine pass' policy

The Metro Manila Council (MMC) believes the time is not yet right for the proposed “vaccine pass” that would allow vaccinated individuals to enter indoor establishments.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit on Wednesday, MMC chairman and Parañaque mayor Edwin Olivarez said such policy would be "very unfair" since only a small percentage of individuals have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

"Very unfair naman po yan na bibigyan natin ng policy na yun lang makakapasok sa indoors, sa ating mga restaurant, at iba pang mga establishment ay yung mga nabigyan ng vaccination pass," he said.

"Sa amin sa MMC parang hindi pa ho tama ang panahon ngayon po para i-implement yang policy na yan," Olivarez added.

(It'd be very unfair if only those with vaccine pass can enter restaurants and other indoor establishments. We in the MMC think the time is not yet right for such policy.)

MMC is composed 17 mayors of Metro Manila.

Olivarez said at present, the available supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the country is not sufficient to cover a large number of the populace.

"Yung vaccination program natin ngayon lang umaarangkada [our vaccination program is just starting to gain momentum]," he said, adding that as per vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., bulk of the vaccine allocation will arrive in June.

The Department of Health (DOH) has thumbed down the proposal for a vaccine pass on purely medical reason. According to Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, there is still insufficient evidence to prove that COVID-19 vaccines can provide immunity and block transmission. --KBK, GMA News