'BINABALEWALA NIYO BA KAMI?'

Solons irked by absence of IATF heads in meeting on mandatory vaccination

The absence of high-ranking officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)  on a panel meeting about the controversial mandatory vaccination in some workplaces irked some House members on Tuesday.

The House labor and employment committee requested the IATF to suspend the implementation of IATF Resolutions 148-B and 149 regarding the mandatory vaccination in workplaces.

During Tuesday's virtual panel meeting, no high-ranking official of the task force was present. It was Health Undersecretary Charade Grande, the IATF secretariat, who responded to the questions of the lawmakers.

According to Grande, she was asked to attend the meeting to "certify" the IATF resolutions that will be discussed.

Panel chairman Representative Eric Pineda said the IATF did not even respond to their letter requesting for the suspension of the resolutions. He was dismayed as it seemed that the IATF heads were not taking the matter seriously.

"We wrote a letter to the IATF. Wala hong reply sa amin kung ano ba ang ginawa doon sa sulat na 'yun. Ano ba ibig sabihin nito? 'Yung mga amo ninyo binabalewala kami? Para kaming hindi sineseryoso dito eh," Pineda said.

(We wrote a letter to the IATF, but there was no response. What does that mean? Are your leaders taking us for granted? It's like they are not taking us seriously.)

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite echoed Pineda's sentiment, saying that if there will be a next meeting, the attendance of IATF officials should already be required.

"I join our chair in raising the concern why the IATF is not taking cognizance and importance in this meeting. Apektado na 'yung ating manggagawa, natatakot na sila kung ano ang magiging implikasyon nito sa kanilang trabaho, sa kanilang kalagayan bilang manggagawa," Gaite said.

(Our workers are already affected, they are afraid on what will be the impact of these resolutions on their jobs.)

TUCP party-list Representative Raymond Mendoza, chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, said it was really difficult to summon IATF leaders whenever there are issues that need to be tackled during committee meetings.

"Kami naman dito hindi naman kami nagpadala ng COS (chief of staff) dito, mga congressman nandito, so please relay that to your chairman," Mendoza said.

(We are not sending our chiefs of staff here, we are congressmen, so please relay that to your chairman.)

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is the chairman of the IATF. GMA News Online has reached out to him for comment on the concerns of the congressmen but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro then asked Grande if the IATF leaders have read the House committee's letter to them.

Grande said the IATF have read it and at present, the resolutions are under review. However, she said the resolutions are still in effect despite the call for their suspension.

"Yes, that is the reason why this resolution is currently under review and we also have member representatives from the IATF that are also present in today's hearing," Grande said.

IATF Resolution 148-B states that "in areas where there are sufficient supplies of COVID-19 vaccines as determined by the National Vaccines Operation Center (NVOC), all establishments and employers in the public and private sector shall require their eligible employees who are tasked to do on-site work to be vaccinated against COVID-19."

"Eligible employees who remain to be unvaccinated may not be terminated solely by reason thereof. However, they shall be required to undergo RT-PCR tests regularly at their own expense for purposes of on-site work. Provided that, antigen tests may be resorted to when RT-PCR capacity is insufficient or not immediately available."

Meanwhile, IATF Resolution 149 indicates that "in furtherance of IATF Resolution No. 148-B (s.2021) providing for the implementation of measures to increase demand for COVID-19 vaccinations but except when all the onsite employees/workers of an establishment are required under the Alert Level System Guidelines to be fully vaccinated, all partially vaccinated employees in the public and private sector tasked to do onsite work need not undergo regular RT-PCR test at their own expense, as long as their second dose is not yet due pursuant to the interval prescribed for the brand of vaccine received as first dose." --KBK, GMA News