ILOILO City – After just one public hearing last week, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved yesterday an ordinance imposing enhanced restrictions to regulate the mobility of unvaccinated individuals here when the metro is under Alert Level 3 or higher.
“This is for their protection. Indi anay kamo mag gwa kay kadamo coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases subong,” said Councilor Romel Duron, chairman of the SP committee on rules.
He also said the ordinance does not make it mandatory for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The unvaccinated are still allowed to go out to access essential goods, said Duron.
However, they will be required to present a valid government-issued identification card and a negative result of their reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test conducted not exceeding 72 hours prior to the time they intend to go out.
The ordinance, however, will only take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of genera circulation.
The ordinance covers residents of Iloilo City and those entering the city from elsewhere.
It defines a fully vaccinated person as one who has completed the prescribed number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and a person ineligible for vaccination as one who, by virtue of his religious belief as certified by his pastor/priest, or medical condition as certified by his/her respective District Medical Officer, cannot be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine.
RESTRICTIONS OF NON-FULLY VAXXED
* All non-fully vaccinated persons shall remain in their residences at all times, except for the procurement of essential goods and availment of essential services such as, but not limited to food, water, medicine, medical devices, public utilities, and energy, work, medical and dental necessities; provided, however, that individual outdoor exercises shall be allowed within the general area of their residences, e.g. within purok, subdivision, or village; and provided further, that in accessing essential goods or services, non-fully vaccinated persons and persons ineligible for vaccination must present a negative RT-PCR test result taken within the last 72 hours coupled with any government ID.
* Private establishments offering essential goods and services may refuse entry to non-fully vaccinated persons as part of their business prerogative.
* Persons ineligible for vaccination may be allowed entry to the above-mentioned establishments provided their ineligibility is duly certified by their pastor/priest or respective District Medical Officer.
* Non-fully vaccinated persons shall be allowed to access vaccination sites provided that the security personnel or compliance officer shall make a proper endorsement to the city-assigned staff at the vaccination sites to ensure that the non-fully vaccinated persons will indeed receive their COVID-19 vaccines.
WORKPLACE, VACCINE MANDATE
* Non-fully vaccinated persons shall be required to undergo RT-PCR test every two weeks at their personal expense and present a negative result prior to being admitted for work onsite.
* In the event that the RT-PCR test and/or result is/are not immediately available, a Rapid Antigen Test may be utilized. The employer shall have the option to provide a non-fully vaccinated employee a grace period of one calendar month to obtain his or her first COVID-19 vaccination shot.
As long as the employee obtains the first shot within this grace period, and subsequently obtain any required shot as prescribed for the concerned vaccine, the employee shall not be required to take the biweekly tests or otherwise be held liable under this clause.
* Persons ineligible for vaccination should be able to present a current certification issued within the last two weeks from their pastor/priest that inoculation with COVID-19 vaccine is strictly against their religious belief or a medical certificate from their respective District Medical Office certifying that due to underlying medical conditions, they are not viable candidates for COVID-19 vaccination. The certification should include that contact of the pastor and/or physical for verification purposes.ACCESS TO BASIC GOV’T SERVICES
* Non-fully vaccinated persons shall be allowed to access basic government services, provided, they must present a negative RT-PCR test result taken within the last 72 hours coupled with any government ID.
* For the persons ineligible for vaccination, they should be able to present a current certification issued within the last two weeks from their pastor/priest that inoculation with COVID-19 vaccine is strictly against their underlying medical conditions, they are not viable candidates for COVID-19 vaccination.
* All government agencies operating within the City of Iloilo shall provide safe alternatives to cater non-fully vaccinated persons in an open space or outdoor set-up.
MANDATORY PRESENTATION OF VAX CARDS
*All persons residing and sojourning within Iloilo City are mandated to present their local government-issued COVID-19 vaccination cards, or Department of Health-issued vaccine certificate or certificate of ineligibility upon inspection.
* Establishments offering essential services, and goods located within malls are mandated to require presentation of vaccination cards for fully-vaccinated individuals and a negative RT-PCR test result for taken within the last 72 hours for non-fully vaccinated persons and persons ineligible for vaccination.
* Establishments offering goods and services which are unessential are hereby mandated to assign a worker/s to check the abovementioned documentary card/certificate together with a valid ID of all patrons entering their premises to ensure that compliance to herein ordinance is maintained.
PENALTIES
Violators shall be charged with the following penalties.
* P500 – for the first offense and/or four hour of community service
* P1,000 – for the second offense and/or eight hours of community services
* P3,000 and/or 24 hours of community service – for third and subsequent offenses
Establishments violating the ordinance (including but not limited to allowing non-fully vaccination persons to enter the establishments for non-essential reasons) shall be charged with the following penalties:
* P3,000 – for the first offense
* P5,000 and suspension of business permit and temporary closure order – for the second offense
* P5,000; cancellation of business permit; and closure order for the third offense./PN
