The Negros-based Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), which operates the Ceres Liner passenger buses in the Visayas and Mindanao, started implementing the “no vaccine, no ride” policy of the Department of Transportation in the continuing fight vs. COVID-19.
VTI media relations officer Jade Seballos said they will only entertain fully-vaccinated passengers.
The DOTr said the policy is only for areas under Alert Level 3, including Bacolod City and Negros Island, to stem the surging cases of COVID-19, particularly the highly infectious Omicron variant.
Seballos encouraged passengers to go to their respective bus terminals for inspection of vaccination cards and for temperature checking.
She said the VTI buses may pick up passengers along roads for humanitarian consideration but they should also present their vaccination cards.
Despite criticisms on the social media for implementing the “no vax, no ride” policy, which may also affect their operations due to the anticipated decrease in the number of passengers, Seballos said the management has no other choice but to implement the DOTr policy.
“All our drivers are fully vaccinated, and many of them have already availed of booster shots,” she added. |GB
