Gov. Arthur Yap has signed two new executive orders (EO). One of the orders aims at encouraging people to get vaccinated while the other one removes the curfew on minors and senior citizens.
Yap signed on Nov. 18, 2021, EO 56 which implements the national Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) resolution 145-R mandating all employers in the public and private sectors who are tasked to do on-site work to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus disease (Covid).
The full text of EO 56 is published on page 10 of this paper.
On the other hand, Yap also signed EO 57 on the same date, Nov. 18, 2021, where the curfew or stay-at-home order on minors and senior citizens over 65 years old is lifted. However, the order may be re-imposed in the event Bohol is classified under Alert Level 4. Bohol is currently under Alert Level 2.
The full text of EO 57 can be read on page 11 of this paper.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 56
Yap stipulated in his order that all employers, both public and private, shall require their eligible employees who are tasked with on-site work to be inoculated against Covid.
However, the employers are not allowed to terminate the employees for the reason of not being vaccinated.
However, these unvaccinated workers shall be required to undergo real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test once every two weeks at their own expense for purposes of on-site work, the EO provides
The EO says that an antigen test may be accepted if RT-PCR testing capacity is insufficient or if the RT-PCR tests are not immediately available. In this case. the unvaccinated worker shall undergo the antigen test every week.
The workers who are slated to be vaccinated during work hours shall not be considered absent from work, the EO mandates. The worker, however, shall present a proof of a confirmed vaccination schedule to the employer, the EO says.
The EO states that “as a condition for continuing their operations, public transportation services in the road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors shall require all their eligible workers to be fully vaccinated.”
Workers need to present a health clearance from the Municipal Health Officer, or City Health Officer, or Provincial Health Officer to prove their ineligibility to get the Covid vaccine.
“Public and private establishments may accommodate only fully vaccinated individuals, may nonetheless validly refuse entry and/or deny service to individuals who remain to be unvaccinated, or are merely partially vaccinated, despite being eligible for vaccination, provided that frontline and emergency services shall continues to render assistance to all persons regardless of vaccination status,” the governor wrote in his EO.
The governor said in his EO that “component City/Municipal Local Government Units are strongly enjoined to issue orders or ordinances to ramp up demand for vaccination, by among others, providing incentives for fully vaccinated individuals,” the EO says.
The EO also encourages business establishments to come up with measures to encourage their employees and clients, to the extent allowed by law, “require proof of vaccination before individuals and/or entitles may undertake or qualify for certain activities”.
The new EO takes effect on Dec. 1, 2021 according to the governor.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 57
EO 57 lifts the curfew or stay-at-home order on minors and senior citizens aged 65 years old and older. However, the EO stipulates that such order shall be imposed again once Bohol will be placed under Alert Level 4.
It can be remembered that senior citizens are allowed to go out of their homes only on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Moreover, minors may leave their houses as long they are accompanied by an adult who is not a senior citizen during Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The order emphasizes that the venue capacity limitations and other health and safety protocol are still in place.
The order is effective on the same day it was signed by the governor.
SPECIAL CITATION FROM THE PCCI
Meanwhile, Bohol received a special citation from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) as one of the finalists in the search for the Most Business Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU).
The special citation award recognizes Bohol’s effort to restart the business or economic activities via significant and sustained innovative actions, programs and policies.
The citation highlights Bohol’s success and best practices that go beyond more compliance to address the overwhelming negative impacts of the current pandemic to the business community.
The PCCI awarded the special citation to Bohol during the business group’s 47th Philippine Business Conference and Exposition at the Mariott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City on Nov. 18, 2021.