San Miguel launches first COVID-19 vaccination site, URC balances safety and productivity

Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp (SMC) on Wednesday launched the first site for its vaccination program against COVID-19, aside from 14 other centers targeted across the country.

The site is located at the La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) in Mandaluyong, which could accommodate up to 1,000 persons daily once fully operational in August.

Some 500 essential workers from SMC received their initial vaccine at the LSGH site, through the Inter-Agency Task Force-EIF and the local government of Mandaluyong.

"We are vaccinating for free over 70,000 in our workforce. We are also looking to make the vaccines available to more Filipinos, but extending access to those in our workforce's own networks," SMC President Ramon Ang said in an emailed statement.

Aside from LSGH, SMC plans to put up another site at the Jose Rizal University and 14 others in Albay, Bacolod, Bataan, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cavite, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Isabela, Laguna, Mandaue, Pampanga, and Pangasinan.

"For our part, San Miguel commits to take care of our own, so that when target volumes of vaccines arrive, they will no longer need to rely on government supplies -- which can then be given to more of our countrymen," said Ang.

SMC purchased vaccines from AstraZeneca and Moderna for its nationwide vaccination program, expected to arrive in July.

Shares in SMC closed Wednesday at P117.00 apiece, down by 70 centavos or 0.59% from Tuesday's finish of P117.70.

Balancing safety, productivity

Meanwhile, Universal Robina Corporation (URC), the country's largest food and beverage firms, said it has made adjustments to ensure all its workers are safe and still productive, whether they are working from home or on site.

Aside from work from home arrangements, the firm also gave temporary lodging for some 600 employees who had to be on site, including machine operators, technicians and other skilled workers.

For those who had to travel daily, URC provided around 100 free shuttle services for its employees, who were also given hygiene kits containing face masks, a face shield, alcohol and packs of Vitamin C.

When face shields were not yet commonly available, one of URC’s factories was also converted into facility that produced face shields, which were handed out to employees and frontliners.

The company also set up a private Facebook group where employees can keep a tab on each other, as well as online yoga and Zumba classes and webinars for their mental health and physical fitness.

“In the months since the remote work system was implemented, it’s been proven that URC employees remain highly productive. Human resources noticed that employees seem to be working even harder than usual during this pandemic,” said Lisa Abalajon, URC’s chief human resources officer, in an emailed statement. -MDM, GMA News