TUCP ALSO URGES MASS VACCINATION OF WORKERS AND LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR LOCAL VACCINE PRODUCTION
By Ver Garcia (News Editor)
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) urged employers to conduct mass vaccination of workers following the government approval for the private sector to purchase vaccines.
“We appeal to the employers to direct their corporate social responsibility programs to mass vaccinate their workers to speed up efforts to defeat the current surge and simultaneously keep our economy afloat," said TUCP President Rep. Raymond Mendoza.
"We urge the employers and IATF to look into Indonesia’s strategy of prioritizing the mass vaccination of workers as an approach to manage the transmission and at the same time allow the economy to open," explained Mendoza
.
Rep. Raymond Mendoza with Officers and Members of TUCP. (Photo by Vergarcia)
"All workers, not just some, are really the most exposed sector to possible infection. Workers have to go to the streets, take public transportation, go to their respective factories, offices, malls, and plantations, and in the process of coming-and-going possibly become infected and become superspreaders. Either they can bring the virus to their place of work, or vice versa, back to their homes and urban poor communities. And yet these are the same workers who are running the machines and manning the businesses in order to keep their families clothed, fed and thereby keeping the economy afloat. What more evidence is needed to prove that all workers are “essential" workers?" stressed Mendoza.
Vaccinations of front liners in the hospital and still lacking.
"We understand that vaccine global supply is an issue. We can go on listing and re-listing but the vaccines might not be forthcoming. With the Philippine population of 110 million souls and the fast mutation of COVID 19 to new strains, the most strategic and logical approach is for our pharmaceutical companies to be tapped by the government to obtain licensing agreements to produce the vaccines locally," stressed Mendoza.
"We recognized that more than 98% of our establishments are micro and small, and the cost of vaccination would be formidable to them hence, TUCP is asking the Government to cover their vaccination costs and Fastrack the vaccination of all workers in the 98% percent micro and small businesses. Most micro and small businesses are at the brink of closure. Many of the small employers who have 1 to 99 workers have already placed the majority of their workers on "no work, no pay" arrangements. These are the employers most-at-risk of going under. Once they close shop their workers will further plunge into poverty and hunger," said TUCP Vice President Luis Corral.
TUCP Vice-President Tim Dejon with members and workers. (Photo by Vergarcia)
“For medium-sized and large-sized establishments with 100 and more employees, the TUCP is appealing on the employers to shoulder the costs of their vaccines and vaccination," clarified Corral.
“This is a significant sacrifice we are asking employers at this time, but if we are to survive as a nation, all must sacrifice now, and all must bear a portion of the collective burden. Obviously, with the surge, this kind of multisectoral approach involving government, doctors and scientists, business, and labor is needed both for our health and the economy. Otherwise, we would all be in COVID-19 quagmire when our ASEAN neighbors are already on the road to recovery and experiencing GDP growth,” explained Corral.
"Additionally, to tide over the 4.2 million currently unemployed workers (PSA), the DOLE should now also reconsider their qualification criteria for access to the Php 5,000 peso Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) to now include the underemployed and those who experienced being laid off temporarily or permanently," emphasized Corral.
"Otherwise, many more millions of our countrymen will fall through the cracks," the TUCP official said.
The Philippine Statistics Authority in its February Labor Force Survey disclosed that some 4.2 million workers are unemployed, a further 7.9 million workers are underemployed, and a total of 9.1 million workers experienced being laid off either temporarily or permanently between March of 2020 and up to February 2021 and adding. (VerGarciaBlogs)
"All workers, not just some, are really the most exposed sector to possible infection. Workers have to go to the streets, take public transportation, go to their respective factories, offices, malls, and plantations, and in the process of coming-and-going possibly become infected and become superspreaders. Either they can bring the virus to their place of work, or vice versa, back to their homes and urban poor communities. And yet these are the same workers who are running the machines and manning the businesses in order to keep their families clothed, fed and thereby keeping the economy afloat. What more evidence is needed to prove that all workers are “essential" workers?" stressed Mendoza.
"We understand that vaccine global supply is an issue. We can go on listing and re-listing but the vaccines might not be forthcoming. With the Philippine population of 110 million souls and the fast mutation of COVID 19 to new strains, the most strategic and logical approach is for our pharmaceutical companies to be tapped by the government to obtain licensing agreements to produce the vaccines locally," stressed Mendoza.
"We recognized that more than 98% of our establishments are micro and small, and the cost of vaccination would be formidable to them hence, TUCP is asking the Government to cover their vaccination costs and Fastrack the vaccination of all workers in the 98% percent micro and small businesses. Most micro and small businesses are at the brink of closure. Many of the small employers who have 1 to 99 workers have already placed the majority of their workers on "no work, no pay" arrangements. These are the employers most-at-risk of going under. Once they close shop their workers will further plunge into poverty and hunger," said TUCP Vice President Luis Corral.
“For medium-sized and large-sized establishments with 100 and more employees, the TUCP is appealing on the employers to shoulder the costs of their vaccines and vaccination," clarified Corral.
“This is a significant sacrifice we are asking employers at this time, but if we are to survive as a nation, all must sacrifice now, and all must bear a portion of the collective burden. Obviously, with the surge, this kind of multisectoral approach involving government, doctors and scientists, business, and labor is needed both for our health and the economy. Otherwise, we would all be in COVID-19 quagmire when our ASEAN neighbors are already on the road to recovery and experiencing GDP growth,” explained Corral.
"Additionally, to tide over the 4.2 million currently unemployed workers (PSA), the DOLE should now also reconsider their qualification criteria for access to the Php 5,000 peso Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) to now include the underemployed and those who experienced being laid off temporarily or permanently," emphasized Corral.
"Otherwise, many more millions of our countrymen will fall through the cracks," the TUCP official said.
The Philippine Statistics Authority in its February Labor Force Survey disclosed that some 4.2 million workers are unemployed, a further 7.9 million workers are underemployed, and a total of 9.1 million workers experienced being laid off either temporarily or permanently between March of 2020 and up to February 2021 and adding. (VerGarciaBlogs)
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