Proposal to protect unvaccinated in high-risk, labor-intensive workplaces pushed

(As released) Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion reiterated his call that employees of high-risk, labor-intensive business establishments should be fully vaccinated to prevent the unvaccinated from getting severe infection from COVID 19.
 
“Now that only fully vaccinated can enter establishments like salons and restaurants, it is only ideal that workers and employees should be required to be vaccinated. Additionally, employees who work in labor-intensive industries such as manufacturing plants, BPOs, POGOs, factories must require vaccination to protect unvaccinated employees to be at risk,” Concepcion said.
 
“I hope that soon enough, as vaccine supply stabilizes, DOLE can look into making vaccination mandatory in these high-risk industries,” Concepcion added
 
He added that employers should not use the vaccination status of their workers against COVID-19 as basis for getting their salaries as there is no mandate yet from the national government.
 
PA Concepcion issued the pronouncement after the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) revealed that some employers withhold the salaries of their workers because they are unvaccinated.
 
“While we believe that vaccination is the best protection that anyone can get against COVID-19, employers cannot use it as an excuse not to pay their employees for services rendered,” said Concepcion.
 
“Employers should not use vaccination status as qualifier whether the employee will get his or her salary. All employees should be paid for their work and service. No ifs and buts,” he added.
 
The Go Negosyo founder also called on employers and companies to help their unvaccinated employees to get inoculated against the virus by referring them to the local government units (LGU) where they are located or providing private sector procured vaccines.
 
“As part of their duty to their workers, employers must leave no stone unturned to ensure that they are protected against the virus and they pose no threat to other co-workers and customers,” he stressed.
 
Concepcion added that vaccines are the best protection and the only way to bring our lives and the country’s economy back to normal. He also noted that vaccine acceptance among Go Negosyo partner companies is very high.
 
“Yes, there may have been supply issues in the past but now we are receiving enough vaccines already to inoculate more Filipinos, especially our workers,” said Concepcion.
 
Through Go Negosyo’s “A Dose of Hope” program, Concepcion has embarked on a mission to have workers in the private sector inoculated against COVID-19.
 
Through the initiative of “A Dose of Hope”, some 3.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines have already been brought to the country for the vaccination of workers that would help pave way for the full reopening of the economy.
 
“Having all of our workers vaccinated against COVID-19 will also contribute to the safe reopening of our economy that we are all hoping for in the last quarter of the year,” Concepcion said.
 
Aside from this, Concepcion is also advocating for the implementation of the Bakuna Bubble to jumpstart economic activity. Under the Bakuna Bubble, fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed more mobility and can enjoy looser health protocols.
 
More than 1,000 business owners and franchisees have expressed support for Concepcion’s suggestion, calling on the government to explore the possibility of providing incentives, including easing of guidelines, to fully vaccinated people. — As released