Vaccination must be mandatory in select industries: Palace exec

MANILA – A Palace adviser wants to make mandatory the vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among workers in labor-intensive and high-risk businesses.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said in a statement Friday that he has written to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, proposing the mandatory Covid-19 jabs for specific workers.

“We must protect the unvaccinated and protect all workers and jobs at all costs. If we require fully vaccinated customers in our businesses, the more reason we need to require labor-intensive workers and economic front-liners to be fully vaccinated, too,” he said.

Workers whom Concepcion proposed should be included in the mandatory vaccination are those in the hospitality, tourism, restaurants, retail, and personal care services, as well as those in labor-intensive sectors, such as construction, automotive, wearables and manufacturing, electronics and semiconductors, and business process outsourcing.

The labor department will study the recommendation, according to Concepcion.

“I also want to thank Secretary Bello for being one with the private sector and supporting the industries’ continuous fight to ensure their businesses, employees, and customers are protected,” Concepcion added.

He said the vaccination should be expedited as Covid-19 cases are declining and to avoid a surge.

On Friday morning, Concepcion and National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. welcomed the arrival of the 698,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, procured by the private sector under the “Dose of Hope” program, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.