Wealthy countries have cornered the world’s vaccine supplies. As a result, the Philippines has, as of this writing, vaccinated only 10% to 12% of its population. To punish the unvaccinated by barring them from leaving their homes — when vaccine inequity has yet to be addressed — aggravates an already inequitable public health crisis.
In this B-Side episode, Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Jose Luis Martin “Chito” C. Gascon explains the Siracusa Principles — guidelines on the legitimacy, ethics, necessity, and proportionality of a state’s restrictions on human rights during an emergency — to BusinessWorld reporter Alyssa Nicole O. Tan. “We cannot create a two-tier system where one class of people, vaccinated, are allowed every opportunity, while another set of people are denied certain rights,” he said.
Recorded remotely on Aug. 13. Produced by Paolo L. Lopez and Sam L. Marcelo.
