Fact-checked by: Kenneth Clauna
Red Bullets:
Claim: The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Mangaldan has no basis for barring unvaccinated residents from entering the public market and other business establishments such as malls, supermarkets, and restaurants.
Rating: False
The truth: There is a basis for the policy of barring unvaccinated people from entering enclosed and business establishments: IATF Resolution No. 156-C and Executive Order No. 0004-2022 of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.
Why fact-check: More and more Mangaldan residents claim that the policy was just plain unfair and baseless. The Mangaldan LGU was put in a bad light.
Red Totality:
On Jan.13, 2022, on the official page of Councilor Aldrin Soriano posted on Facebook a legislator in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, sparking malicious claims that the act of barring unvaccinated people from going to the public market and other establishments had no legal basis.
One netizen commented on the post: “Sir Aldrin, totoo po bang hindi papasukin sa bayan ang walang vaccination card? At bakit sa lahat ng naririnig ko na wala daw vaccination card ay hindi papasukin sa mall, sa bank, atbp.?? Eh wala naman pong batas na nagsasabi nun.” (Sir Aldrin, is it true that those people without vaccination cards will not be allowed inside the town’s [public market]? I also heard that if you do not have a vaccination card, you are not allowed to enter malls, banks, etc.? No law backs this up.)
This claim that there was no legal basis for the ban is FALSE.
IATF Resolution No. 156-C dated Jan. 12, 2022, placed Pangasinan along with La Union and Ilocos Norte in Region I under Alert Level 3 effective Jan. 14-31, due to increasing COVID-19 cases.
Last January 17, the COVID-19 update in Mangaldan recorded 23 new active cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 62, and the total number of COVID-19 cases to 1,508.
That and other new cases across Pangasinan prompted the provincial government to issue an executive order outlining the implementing guidelines on Alert Level 3 in the province. Section 3A and 3B stated that “unvaccinated individuals or individuals with incomplete vaccinations are strongly advised to stay at home except for emergency or humanitarian reasons” and “unvaccinated individuals, especially children below twelve (12) years old shall not be allowed entry to enclosed establishments, including but not limited to malls, supermarkets, and restaurants.”
Section 3 of EO 0004-2022 states that unvaccinated individuals would not be allowed entry to any enclosed establishments and are advised to stay at home except for emergency or humanitarian reasons.
In connection with the said executive order, Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn DG. Lambino issued a public advisory to all business establishments last Jan. 12, strongly urging them to bar the entry of unvaccinated individuals, especially children below 12 years old. The advisory also recommended requiring customers to present their vaccination cards upon their entry.
The Mangaldan Police Station, through PLTCOL. Vicente P. Castor Jr., also confirmed that unvaccinated residents would not be allowed to enter the public market.The police have started requiring goers to show their vaccination cards upon entry to the public market and prohibiting children below 12 years old to enter its premises.
References:
Department of Health, “IATF Resolution No. 156-C,” January 12, 2022
Province of Pangasinan, “Executive Order No. 0004-2022,” January 14, 2022
Public Information Office, “Public Advisory on Regulated Movement of Unvaccinated”, January 12, 2022
Public Information Office, “Mangaldan COVID-19 Updates,” January 17, 2022
Comments