Pacquiao opposes gov’t restrictions vs. unvaccinated Filipinos

Presidential aspirant and Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday urged various government agencies to halt its orders which restrict the movement of unvaccinated Filipinos.

In a statement, Pacquiao made the appeal to the Department of the Interior on Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and all local government units, saying the mobility of unvaccinated individuals should not be curtailed as long as they follow the minimum public health standards.

Apart from this, Pacquiao said Filipinos should not be forced to get their COVID-19 vaccines. Rather, they should be encouraged by properly explaining the benefits of vaccination.

“Ako po ay nanawagan sa DILG, sa PNP, sa DoTr at sa ating mga LGU na huwag naman po sana nating pilitin ang ating mga kababayan na magpabakuna kung ito ay labag sa kanilang paniniwala. Kumbinsihin po natin sila at pagpaliwanagan ngunit huwag natin silang pilitin,” Pacquiao said.

(I am appealing to the DILG, PNP, DoTr, and our LGUs to please stop forcing our countrymen to get their vaccines if it is against their beliefs. Let us convince them and explain it to them but we should not force them to get it.)

“Huwag po natin silang ituring na parang mga kriminal. Huwag po natin silang putulan ng karapatan na makapagtrabaho o makapamili ng kanilang mga pangangailangan,” he added.

(Let us not treat them like criminals. We should not suppress their rights to work or go out of their homes to get their needs.)

The lawmaker argued that COVID-19 vaccination should be a personal choice and the government should not impose restrictions against those who opt not to get inoculated because of their personal and religious beliefs.

Unless there is a law that mandates people to be vaccinated, those who chose not to get the vaccine must be left alone, he added.

“Walang batayan sa kahit anumang batas na pigilan ang mga hindi bakunadong indibidwal sa kanilang malayang pagkilos sa komunidad,” Pacquaio said.

(The restrictions against the unvaccinated individuals have no basis under our existing laws.)

“‘Yun pong mga may gustong magpa-vaccinate eh di magpa-vaccinate. Pero yun pong mga ayaw ay bigyan po natin sila ng karapatan na manindigan sa kanilang paniniwala,” he added.

(Those who wanted to get the vaccines should have themselves vaccinated but those who don’t want to get inoculated must be given the right to abide by their beliefs.)

The presidential aspirant made the call after the DOTr announced the implementation of “no vaccination, no ride/entry” in public transport policy in the National Capital Region (NCR) while the area is under Alert Level 3 or higher.

Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered barangay officials to direct persons yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to stay at home amid the steep spike in cases believed driven by the Omicron variant. — RSJ, GMA News