Penalties Set Today On ‘No Vax, No Ride’ Violators

Operators and drivers of public utility vehicles found carrying unvaccinated passengers face steep fines of as much as P15,000 and possible cancelation of franchise, as the government begins fully enforcing its “no vaccine, no ride” program today, Jan. 18, following the dry run marked by confusion on Monday, Jan. 17. 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said violation tickets would be issued starting today as only warnings were served to violators of the “no vaccination, no ride” policy during its first day of implementation in the National Capital Region (NCR). 

“For the first day of implementation, enforcers will do their best to just cite warnings. On the next day, we will start issuing tickets,” DOTr Undersecretary for administrative services Artemio Tuazon Jr. said. 

The DOTr said enforcers would be tolerant and patient, but would also be firm as per instructions from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. 

Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddess Libiran said as far as the DOTr, Inter-Agency Council for Traffic, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) are concerned, issuance of violation tickets will start today. 

“LGUs are not under DOTr. They are operating and issuing tickets in line with their respective ordinances,” Libiran said, referring to local government units. 

LTFRB executive director Tina Cassion said penalties include a P5,000 fine for the first offense, P10,000 fine and impounding of unit apprehended for 30 days for the second offense and a fine of P15,000 and suspension/cancellation of franchise for the third and subsequent offenses. 

“For the apprehended driver, LTFRB will recommend to LTO the suspension of the driver’s license,” Cassion said. 

Under DOTr’s Department Order No. 2022-001, access to public transportation will be limited to vaccinated population in NCR while Alert level 3 or higher is in effect. 

Such move is being undertaken to prevent shutdowns of businesses and public transport, which would have far-reaching implications, officials said, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. 

The DOTr reiterated that the policy does not violate Republic Act  No. 11525, which states that vaccine cards shall not be considered as additional mandatory requirement for educational, employment and other similar government transaction purposes. 

“Access to public transportation is not among those enumerated in the prohibition. The Administrative Code prevails, which mandates DOTr to provide safe transportation services to the general public,” Transportation Undersecretary for legal affairs Reinier Paul Yebra said. 

Yebra stressed the directive does not stop unvaccinated individuals from traveling. 

“Unvaccinated persons are still allowed to travel using different means, except for public transportation. It is also stated in the DOTr department order that there are exceptions,” he said, referring to those with medical conditions that prevent their COVID-19 vaccination. 

Also exempted are those on errands for essential goods and services, such as food, water, medicine, medical devices, public utilities, energy, work and medical and dental necessities, as shown by a duly issued barangay health pass or other proof to justify travel. 

“Remember that the so-called right to ride needs to be balanced with our responsibility as transport regulator to maintain and preserve safe travel,” Yebra said. 

No tickets yet 

In an interview with dzBB, Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG) NCR chief Lt. Col. Joel Mendoza said they were instructed not to issue citation tickets yet this week and to merely keep asking unvaccinated people to disembark and ask them to get vaccinated. 

In a separate interview with reporters, Mendoza said the number of passengers HPG personnel asked to disembark did not reach hundreds. 

I-ACT has recorded more than 100 unvaccinated passengers who were asked to disembark yesterday morning. 

Mendoza said while the first day of implementation was generally peaceful, there had been confusion among unvaccinated passengers over the guidelines. 

He said many passengers thought those who had only received the first dose of a two-dose vaccine could be considered fully vaccinated. 

“We had to explain the policy. For one to be able to access public transportation, they need to be fully vaccinated,” he said in Filipino. 

Mendoza said to ensure that those who had been asked to disembark would return home, some HPG personnel ferried them to the nearest stops to their homes. 

At least 11 passengers were refused at the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) as of 7 a.m. on Monday. 

The passengers refused entry were either unvaccinated or have just received their first doses, MRT-3 director for operations Engr. Michael Capati said in a radio interview. 

Passengers need only show their physical vaccination cards or pictures of their vaccination cards and a valid ID to gain entry, Capati added. 

Several areas outside the NCR are expected to implement a similar policy. 

Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr., president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), said he told municipal mayors and municipal/city councilors to release ordinances to implement the policy. 

“This strategy is really needed so we can vaccinate more people more quickly,” he said in an interview over dzMM. 

Modifications 

Like members of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, Velasco said LPP members are also going to adopt modifications to the current policy in effect in Metro Manila, particularly to give more leeway to unvaccinated people. 

“For example, if the driver is not yet fully vaccinated but they have tested negative during antigen tests and they have a certificate, they will be given up to two weeks to operate until they test negative for the next one,” he explained. 

However, drivers would be ordered to force passengers to wear masks and follow health protocols in transit. 

The Negros-based Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), which operates passenger buses in the Visayas and Mindanao, yesterday started to implement the “no vaccine, no ride” policy of the DOTr, according to VTI media relations officer Jade Seballos. 

Activist, transport and commuter groups are opposing the measure, calling it absurd and illegal, as 48 percent of the population remains unvaccinated. 

For the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the implementation of the “no vaccine, no ride” policy has resulted in big loss in income for workers. 

“Working people without vaccine cards were again unnecessarily forced to spend more in fare to be able to report for work in time and to avoid salary deductions with tardiness with the reduced number of plying public utility jeepneys and buses units,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said. 

He lamented the new policy resulted in disruption in the daily routine of formal and informal workers. 

“Requiring commuters to present vaccination cards in public transportation services is not only disruption for workers but also a direct violation of Republic Act 11525 or the Vaccination Program Law that says vaccination cards are not required in private and public transactions, including access to public transportation,” he pointed out. – With Gilbert Bayoran, Mayen Jaymalin, Marc Jayson Cayabyab