More members of the House of Representatives on Thursday expressed opposition over the supposed “no vaccine, no salary” policy being implemented by some companies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
1PACMAN partylist Representative and House committee on labor and employment chairperson Enrico Pineda said requiring an individual to be inoculated in order to make a living is not correct.
“Although I am in favor of vaccination so that we can attain herd immunity, I don’t believe that it should be forced upon our people. Restricting access to a livelihood on the basis of one’s choice not to be vaccinated is violative of their basic right to choose, their right to free will,” Pineda said in a statement.
He pointed out that neither the government nor an employer should dictate what an individual must do with their bodies.
“If a person chooses not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, due to any reason they may have, then we should respect that choice. We should not treat them any different,” Pineda said.
“Of course they should still follow the safety protocols and take care of themselves, as the virus is still around and anyone can still contract and spread it,” he added.
CIBAC party-list Representative Bro. Eddie Villanueva also condemned the practice, saying that it is not only illegal but also uncompassionate and borders on unconstitutionality.
“While it has been made clear by DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) itself that ‘no vaccine, no pay’ is illegal, I would like to add that, more importantly, such policy is devoid of compassion,” Villanueva said in a separate statement.
“Depriving laborers of salary they rightfully earned with sweat and blood is a spit on the face of human dignity and the dignity of work. CIBAC condemns the unlawful and ungodly practice, which must be publicly censured and stopped at this early stage of its emergence among a few companies,” he added.
The lawmaker explained that the proper way of convincing more individuals to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is not coercion but education.
“Persuade, don’t penalize. Instead of shutting down questions and resorting to coercion, let us work harder on education. Opening lines of conversation and discussion is essential in helping our people arrive at a well-thought-of decision concerning their health and safety. It’s a personal decision that neither the state nor business companies can and should impose on anyone,” he said.
The Makabayan Bloc has sought a congressional inquiry into the alleged “no vaccine, no salary” policy that was reportedly being enforced by a certain company in Metro Manila.
The bloc lodged House Resolution 2309 urging the House committee on labor and employment to investigate, in aid of legislation, the reported illegal enforcement of the “no vaccine, no pay” scheme.
Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay had disclosed the said policy as a group of employees of a company in the National Capital Region informed them about it.
On Thursday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said there is now legal basis for employers to hold the salaries or even fire workers who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, citing the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases regarding areas under Alert Level 3.
He earlier branded the practice as illegal. He also encouraged employees who experienced such a policy to formally report their concern to the agency by visiting the department’s office or calling its hotline.—AOL, GMA News
More solons condemn reported ‘no vax, no pay’ policy
Source: Pinoy Hub News
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