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NCR mayors urged: Mass testing instead of restricting unvaccinated people

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Scores of people shop at the Phase 1 Market in Bagong Silang, Caloocan on Dec. 31, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/01/03/20211231-bagong-silang-market-new-years-eve-jc-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Scores of people shop at the Phase 1 Market in Bagong Silang, Caloocan on Dec. 31, 2021.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — A lawmaker on Monday called on Metro Manila mayors to conduct mass testing instead of restricting the movement of unvaccinated people amid the presence of the highly transmissible omicron variant.</p><p>&quot;Vaccinated individuals can be carriers of the virus and can still test positive for COVID-19. Kaya hindi sapat itong &#x27;No Vaxx, No Labas&#x27; policy na ipapatupad sa NCR (That&#x27;s why the &#x27;No Vaxx, No Labas&#x27; policy in NCR is not enough),&quot; Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said in a statement.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/03/22/ncr-mayors-to-restrict-movement-of-unvaxxed-as-covid-cases-rise">Metro Manila mayors to restrict movement of unvaccinated as COVID cases rise</a></li></ul><p>Local chief executives in the capital region have agreed to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated individuals amid rising COVID-19 infections. Those who have yet to receive the anti-virus jab or have yet to complete vaccination are ordered to stay at home, based on their recommendation.</p><p>Violators will face a fine between P20,000 to P50,000, or 1 month imprisonment. </p><p>For Brosas, authorities will be &quot;blind&quot; to the viral transmission and infection among the vaccinated and the unvaccinated without expanded and free mass testing.</p><p>&quot;Matagal na nating ipinapanawagan ang libreng mass testing pero hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin ito popondohan kahit sa 2022 national budget. Uulit lang nang uulit ang COVID-19 surge kung bulag tayo sa aspetong ito,&quot; Brosas said.</p><p>(We have been calling for free mass testing but up to now, this is still not funded even under the 2022 national budget. The COVID-19 surge will keep on repeating if we are lacking in this aspect.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/02/22/philippines-confirms-4600-covid-19-cases">Philippines confirms 4,600 COVID-19 cases; daily tally up 14.5x in just 7 days</a></li></ul><p>The government will stick to &quot;risk-based&quot; testing for COVID-19, testing czar Vince Dizon said after calls for free, mass screening against the threat of the omicron coronavirus variant were revived.</p><p>“Paulit-ulit po naming sinasabi, limitado po ang ating resources,” said Dizon. </p><p>(We have repeatedly said our resources are limited.) </p><p>The government will have to shell out P200 million daily if it shoulders the cost of 100,000 coronavirus tests at around P2,000 each, he said. </p><p>&quot;At 100,000 tests a day at P2,000 na lang per test...P200 million po iyon na kailangang ilabas ng gobyerno kada araw kung ganoon kadami ang iti-test natin.&quot;</p><p>“Hindi po unlimited ang ating resources. Ginagamit natin ang ating mga resources sa pinaka-episyenteng paraan. Pero importante po sumunod po tayo sa advice ng ating mga eksperto… Patuloy nilang sinasabi na kailangan po ang ating RT-PCR ay risk-based,” Dizon said in a public briefing. </p><p>(Our resources are not unlimited. We use these in the most efficient way, but it’s important that we follow the advice of our experts. They continue saying that our RT-PCR needs to be risk-based.) </p><p>The Commission on Human Rights also expressed its concern about the Metro Manila mayors&#x27; recommendation against unvaccinated people.</p><p>&quot;There are valid justifications in restricting rights, including freedom of movement, especially during national emergencies, such as the present pandemic,&quot; CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;The Commission on Human Rights, however, continues to stress that such policies much be based on human rights standards—that, among others, it must be legal, necessary, proportional, and non-discriminatory as detailed under the Siracusa Principles,&quot; she added.</p><p>De Guia stressed unvaccinated individuals must continue to have access to essential services.</p><div><strong>- with reports from RG Cruz, Davinci Maru and Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News</strong><br/> </div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1883020" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1881882" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

A lawmaker called on Metro Manila mayors to conduct mass testing instead of restricting the movement of unvaccinated individuals.