DOLE eyeing workplaces as vaccination sites — official

The Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday said they are looking at the possibility of allowing workplaces as vaccination sites to make it more accessible for employees who are yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Opo, tinitignan din natin ito. Gawin nating mas accessible ‘yung mga bakuna sa mga manggagawa,” DOLE Undersecretary Benjo Santos Benavidez said during a Laging Handa briefing.

(Yes, we look at it too. Let's make vaccines more accessible to workers.)

He made the statement after seven pharmacies and clinics in the National Capital Region have been allowed by the government to administer primary doses and booster shots amid the COVID-19 surge in the country.

The program dubbed as “Resbakuna sa mga Botika” is targeting to administer 3,500 shots during its pilot run on January 20 to 21.

“Ang alam ko ngayon nga ay merong pilot implementation ng ang pagbabakuna ay nasa mga piling mga butika na. Sana ‘yung pagbabakuna ay ituloy tuloy na rin sa mga pagawaan,” Benavidez added.

(Right now, I know there is a pilot implementation of the vaccination in select drugstores. I hope the vaccination will also expand in the workplaces.)

The participating Metro Manila pharmacies and clinics in this initiative are The Generics Pharmacy, Generika Drugstore, Mercury Drug, Southstar Drug, Watsons, Healthway, and QualiMed Clinic.

Benavidez said that this consideration is in line with the “no vaccination, no ride” policy which bars the unvaccinated people from riding the public transport starting Monday, January 17.

However, after a public outcry, government officials on Tuesday clarified that the workforce is exempted from the said policy as they render essential services.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday stressed the need to apologize to the public due to the confusion, noting that the implementers might have just forgotten that workers are spared from the policy “in their enthusiasm to protect the public.” — RSJ, GMA News