Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 23) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Saturday said the pandemic response task force’s rules for areas under Alert Level 3 do not hold any legal basis to force employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
In a text message to reporters, Guevarra said he disagreed with Labor chief Silvestre Bello’s previous statement that the resolution from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) provided a legal basis for employers to hold the salary of their unvaccinated workers.
Bello later clarified his statement, stressing there is no law requiring everyone to get vaccinated.
“The subject IATF resolution placing the NCR under Alert Level 3 and authorizing certain establishments to open their doors to customers or clients simply provides that they may do so as long as their staff or employees are all vaccinated,” Guevarra pointed out.
Based on the IATF resolution, restaurants in areas under Alert Level 3 can offer indoor dining services at 30% capacity and al fresco or outdoor dining at 50% capacity as long as their workers are fully vaccinated.
“This means that these establishments should encourage their staff or employees to get vaccinated, otherwise they may not be allowed to open for business. But they may not compel their employees or staff to get themselves vaccinated,” Guevarra said.
He added that under law, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 states that vaccination cards shall not be a mandatory requirement for employment.
Guevarra also said he will discuss the matter “more thoroughly” with the Labor secretary.
