“There are valid justifications in restricting rights, including freedom of movement, especially during national emergencies, such as the present pandemic. The [CHR], however, continues to stress that such policies much be based on human rights standards — that, among others, it must be legal, necessary, proportional, and non-discriminatory as detailed under the Siracusa Principles,” Jacqueline de Guia, the CHR spokesperson, said. “Despite the restrictions, unvaccinated individuals must also continue to be allowed to access essential services. However, after the holidays, more people were confirmed infected, with some experts believing that it might have been caused by the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which is believed to be more infectious than the Delta variant. On New Year’s Day, DOH said that there was a high possibility of local transmissions of the Omicron variant, although it maintained that the country was now more ready to face the Omicron variant after gaining experience from previous surges.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 04, 2022 06:13 UTC