Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The government has approved the allocation of 452,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for construction and factory workers to fast-track the reopening of the economy during the pandemic, Labor Secretary Silvestre said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Bello thanked Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the national vaccine manager, for his “positive and immediate response” to the request of the Department of Labor and Employment for the additional vaccines, which will be administered for workers in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and Central Visays.
“We believe doing this would speed up economic recovery,” Bello said.
He pointed out that the recipients of the vaccines are active members of the economy needed to sustin the recent 11.8% economic growth.
“This is particularly true to the manufacturing and construction sectors that contributed much to that growth,” Bello said.
The government began vaccinating the so-called economic frontliners in June.