Restrictions for unvaccinated possible if COVID-19 vaccine supply is enough —Bello

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said restrictions should only be imposed on unvaccinated people if the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the country is enough to cover everyone.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Bello pointed out that the inadequate vaccine supply for the population is one of the issues hounding proposals to impose such restrictions.

“Another issue there is do we have the vaccine?” he said.

Bello made the statement after several business and industry groups called for mobility restrictions for unvaccinated individuals as they urged the government to boost its mass vaccination efforts.

Emergency powers

With enough vaccine supply, Bello said President Rodrigo Duterte can exercise his emergency powers to implement the restrictions on unvaccinated people.

“We will recommend…’di ko pa sinasabing to the President, to use his emergency powers. Well, we’re in a health emergency naman tayo,” he said.

(We will recommend, I am not yet saying to the President, to use his emergency powers. Well, we’re in a health emergency already.)

Advisory

The Department of Labor and Employment is seriously considering issuing an advisory on the need to get vaccinated for work, according to Bello.

“We are seriously considering issuing an advisory na kailangan magpabakuna para makapasok ka [that you need to get vaccinated to go to work],” he said.

However, he added that they have to study the legal implications of the restrictions for unvaccinated people as there is no law yet for such mandatory vaccination.

“Within the week, we will be coming up with an advisory for that purpose,” Bello said.

Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of the Associated Labor Unions - Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, also cited the lack of vaccine supply in opposing the proposal, which can affect workers.

“Yun nga ang issue e. Kulang ang bakuna. Mabuti sana kung umaapaw , sobra-sobra,  maaari nating pagusapan yan pero kulang ang bakuna e,” Tanjusay told Super Radyo dzBB.

(That’s the issue. The vaccine supply is not enough. We can talk about that if we already have an ample supply of vaccines, but now it is inadequate)

He added the proposal violates Republic Act 1125.

Tanjusay also pointed out that a DOLE order already considered requiring vaccination for workers as discrimination.

He also warned that the proposal may result in worse unemployment and underemployment in the country. —KBK/RSJ, GMA News