DOLE to start vaccinating over 400,000 construction, manufacturing workers on Wednesday

File photo of DOLE building

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is targeting inoculating over 400,000 workers from the construction and manufacturing sectors starting on Wednesday.

According to DOLE, this is part of the government and the private sector’s partnership project, “Reform, Rebound, Recover: One Million Jobs for 2021”, which seeks to help boost employment recovery by vaccinating workers of sectors considered as the country’s main economic contributors, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

DOLE said the National Task Force Against COVID-19 has also already approved its request to allocate vaccines for 452,000 workers in industries identified as critically important for the economy.

In the manifesto signed by DOLE and key National Employment Recovery Strategy Task Force member agencies and leading business groups led by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the business organizations committed to creating one million jobs for 2021.

“That’s their show of  support for the Task Force’s efforts to address employment issues caused by the pandemic,” Labor chief Silvestre Bello said.

“In return, the government through DOLE pledged it will source vaccines for qualified workers before they’re onboarded for work,” he added.

Bello then expressed his gratitude to Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, saying the official has delivered on his promise to allocate vaccines for workers through this project.

“As long as we persevere in our pursuit of safe and unabating recovery, our economy shall surely spring back and our workforce flourish,” Bello said.

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