THE mayor of San Nicolas town issued an executive order requiring unvaccinated individuals employed in the municipality to take a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test every two weeks at their own expense and present a COVID-19 negative result before they can report to work.

In her January 31 executive order restricting the movement of unvaccinated individuals in the town, Mayor Alicia Primicias-Enriquez enjoined all village chairmen to prepare a monthly inventory of vaccinated population in the barangay indicating their status, whether with first dose only, fully vaccinated (with two doses), and with booster dose.

Accomplished monthly inventory form shall be in the custody of the barangay for monitoring purpose, it said.

Among the salient directives to all non-fully vaccinated individuals:

1. They will remain in their residences at all times except for the procurement of essential goods and service, provided, however that the individual outdoor exercise shall be allowed within the general area of their residence, for example within the barangay or purok.
2. They are prohibited in indoor and outdoor/al fresco dining in restaurants and other food establishments and shall likewise be prohibited from leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, event venues, and other similar facilities.
3. They are prohibited in public transportation except for the procurement of essential goods and service subject to the production of proof to support and justify such travel.
4. They are prohibited from entering government offices, public market, recreational parks, religious establishments and other similar public areas.
5. If employed in the municipality of San Nicolas, public or private, they are required to take a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction test every two weeks at their personal expense and must present a COVID-19 negative result prior to reporting to work subject to issuances of the IATF and DOLE.

• In the event the RT-PCR test and the result is/are not immediately available, a Rapid Antigen Test may be utilized; and provided, further, that the employer will have the option to provide a non-fully vaccinated employee a grace period of one calendar month to obtain his or her first COVID-19 vaccination shot.
• As long as the employee takes the first vaccine shot within the grace period, and subsequently obtains any required second shot as prescribed for the concerned vaccine, the employee shall not be required to take the biweekly test or otherwise be held liable under this clause.
• The above rules will also cover individuals who reside outside the municipality but who work and/or travel to the same

  In issuing the executive order, Enriquez cited the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2020-023 that recognizes the lead role of local government units (LGUs) in the prevention, mitigation, preparedness for, and containment of the COVID-19 outbreak at the local level.

  She added that DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-002 directs all LGUs to restrict the movement of unvaccinated persons. (Eva Visperas)

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