FILE PHOTO: Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin. INQUIRER/LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday questioned the basis of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III鈥檚 鈥渞epeated pronouncements鈥� against the 鈥渘o work no vaccine鈥� policy, which the lawmaker said only emboldens people who are against COVID-19 vaccines.
Garin also said Bello鈥檚 statements counters efforts to convince the public to get vaccinated against the potentially deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
鈥淎no po ba ang basehan sa kanyang pronouncements na paulit-ulit? Kasi kami po na nasa ground minsan, we keep on convincing our people, and the vaccinees to be vaccinated, but if they hear the Secretary of [Labor] repeatedly announcing media, marami po 鈥榶ung umatras, pwede naman po pala hindi magpabakuna, okay lang,鈥� Garin asked during the House deliberations on the proposed budget of the DOLE.
(What is the basis of his repeated pronouncements? Because sometimes, we, who are on the ground, keep on convincing our people, and the vaccinees to be vaccinated, but if they hear the Secretary of [Labor] repeatedly announcing in the media, many people stepped back, realizing it is okay not to be vaccinated [against COVID-19].)
鈥淧ara pong its very difficult to balance, kasi 鈥榶ung anti-vaxxers are finding an opportunity to be very strong and convince the people 鈥極 sige ireklamo niyo 鈥榶an sa DOLE, ireklamo nyo 鈥榶an sa DOLE鈥�,鈥� she continued.
(It鈥檚 very difficult to balance because the anti-vaxxers are finding an opportunity to be very strong and convince the people: Let鈥檚 complain to DOLE.)
Bello, in response, however, said the 鈥渘o vaccine, no work鈥� policy has no legal basis.
READ: DOLE urged to probe firms enforcing 鈥榥o vaccine, no work鈥� policy
鈥淎nd it is violative of a constitutional right of a person of free choice,鈥� the DOLE chief pointed out. 鈥淯nless there is a law, your honor, requiring us to be vaccinated, we cannot compel anybody to be vaccinated.鈥�
鈥淚n the absence of a legislation to that effect, your honor, we have no legalities to compel anybody.鈥�
鈥淎nd added to this your honor is the fact that we do not have enough supply of vaccines,鈥� he also said.
To date, at least 15.8 million Filipinos were already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez.
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