Nine teachers and four staff were not allowed into the Negros Occidental High School (NOHS) in Bacolod City because they are unvaccinated against COVID-19.
The school is just enforcing the Department of Education COVID-19 vaccination protocols for on-site reporting of teaching and non teaching personnel, Josette Terrora, NOHS principal, said on Tuesday, March 1.
A DepEd Aide Memoire dated February 16 cites Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution No.148-B that requires personnel tasked to do on-site work to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or regularly undergo RT-PCR tests at their own expense.
It also states that the Office of the President has approved the requirement for teachers and non teaching personnel handling face-to-face classes and performing in-school functions to be vaccinated.
The unvaccinated teachers and personnel were informed about the DepEd memorandum, which they are just implementing, Terrora said.
Those who are unvaccinated must present negative COVID-19 RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test results every two weeks, she said.
“If they do not comply, they will be considered absent”, she said.
Ma. Tifel Bulanon, who has taught at NOHS for 19 years and is unvaccinated, said she felt discriminated
“Even if she is unvaccinated she has the right to work”, she said, adding that those who are vaccinated are also carriers of the virus, they are not immune to COVID-19.
If they are required to submit COVID-19 RT-PCR of Rapid Antigen test results every two weeks it will be very expensive for them, she said, because it has to be at their own expense.
She said aside from her there are eight other teachers and four staff who are unvaccinated.
Ruby Froilan, a Grade 7 adviser, said they should at least be allowed to do alternative tasks.
Terrora, however, said she cannot act on the requests of the unvaccinated teachers because she is just complying with the DepEd rules and protecting the more than 200 other teachers of the school.*