Lawyer challenge “No Vaccination, No Work, No Entry” Rule in Northern Mindanao

Several lawyers and the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) in Northern Mindanao have questioned a government move to require COVID-19 vaccination cards from citizens, arguing that such policy cannot be based on what the government's coronavirus task force.

This issue has been raised after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in NorthMin announced regarding Employers in the region to be allowed to require their workers to get vaccinated in order to report for work or else ask them to take RT-PCR test before they can report for work.

DOLE technical director Atheneus Vasallo said that workers who are unvaccinated will not be laid off but will be required to get vaccinated before hey can report on-site on their respective jobs, especially in areas where COVID-19 vaccines supplies are sufficient and for those who chose not to get vaccinated will need to take RT-PCR test once every two weeks at their own expense.

But according to lawyer Nicandro Borja, the IATF resolution is illegal, is in direct conflict with the DOLE’s order that vaccination is not a requirement for work.

Mayor Oscar Moreno said last Wednesday that they will identify government employees who are unvaccinated and may move in requiring them to take the RT-PCR tests.

CDO RCB chairman Atty. Edgardo Uy said that he hope that this matter will reach to the supreme court in order to decide whether to stop or continue with the “No vaccine, no entry” policy.