Covid is real. And there is nothing mild with having mild symptoms, regardless of what we have heard is a plus factor once vaccinated. I tested positive for Covid and I say it is not a pleasant experience. My takeaway: take the vaccine, yes, but continue religiously practicing the pandemic mantra—especially the wearing of masks and social distancing. If you need to meet others face to face, then do so, but try to do it al fresco with much caution. We are still in a pandemic and we should not let our guard down.
The sudden surge of infections generated an immediate response from our government, and rightly so. Most areas are now on Alert Level 3, meaning, back to restrictions on our movement and activities though not as harsh as last year that curtailed our economic growth. One thing that has elicited much discussion is the Department of Transportation’s order to ban those unvaccinated on public transport. Under the agency’s recent department order, commuters are required to present their vaccination cards when boarding any public utility vehicle, otherwise they will be refused transport. Two opposing schools of thought come to mind. One, it is understood that such a measure intends to curtail the infection spread and at the same time “force” those still unvaccinated to take the vaccine. The other opinion focuses not so much on the primordial right of citizens to own their decisions on health matters, but rather points to the present lack of access to vaccines for the majority of our citizens. There is also the issue of denying the basic right of public transport to everyone.
I will not dwell on its constitutionality, as other interest groups and individuals have already voiced this out. I would also like to focus only on its application to land transport where majority of commuters are of the lower income tier. Coincidentally, this is also the bracket that has received less of the vaccines, either because of access problems of time or mobility. I understand the push of the transport department on this matter in their earnest concern to safeguard the health interest of everyone. But there may be a middle ground, especially since we are still below our vaccination targets and our transport options for the greater majority of the riding public remain limited. One middle ground would be to provide exclusive transport for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. It may be discriminatory, but definitely not as discriminatory as a total PUV ban on the un-vaxed. Another possible option would be to require a negative Covid tests for the unvaccinated passengers, proof of which they will need to present before boarding the public vehicles. Whichever way, it would be more humane if we give options to the populace rather than decide on the immediate exclusion of a certain group. We can do this without sacrificing the vaccination message.
A side note to this is DOTr’s plan to have mystery riders to check the implementation of their no-vax, no-ride directive. Well and good, but I hope they would also fully implement the no-provincial buses-in-the-metro directive and utilize instead the integrated provincial bus terminals. This will surely help curb the transmission of the virus especially outside Metro Manila, and at the same time help decongest traffic in Metro Manila.
Other matters: We welcome the long overdue expansion of the Candaba viaduct (I am sure that the interim traffic flow will be managed well) as well as the planned Quirino-Mindanao Avenue Connector of Nlex Corp., which would ease up the flow of truck traffic along Congressional Avenue. Also welcome is the renaming of Roosevelt Avenue to FPJ Avenue. Last year, I opposed the renaming of Del Monte Avenue to FPJ Avenue for historical reasons. Renaming Roosevelt Ave, a relic of our colonial past, to FPJ Avenue as a tribute to FPJ who grew up in that area, is definitely more appropriate.
Well, so much for the start of 2022 —the ongoing pandemic surge, elections around the corner, tightening restrictions as well as tightening of belts in the midst of a creeping inflation. But hope springs eternal. We will remain hopeful and optimistic of better surprises in our 2022 journey!
The author may be reached via: thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu