98% of tourism workers in Eastern Visayas jabbed, says DOT

INQUIRER.net file photo

TACLOBAN CITY––The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Eastern Visayas has reported that 98% of its tourism workers in the region had been vaccinated fully against COVID-19.

As of March 9, the DOT said 11,833 of the identified 12,377 tourism workers across the region had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The remaining 544 declined to be vaccinated or waiting for their vaccination schedule.

“The DOT in Eastern Visayas reiterates that though the COVID-19 cases are low, full protection of tourism workers should be given utmost consideration,” said the DOT in the region headed by Karina Rosa Tiopes.

“While the tourism industry is recovering, respective local government units should give importance to the health and safety of tourism workers as this industry provides livelihood and significant economic contribution to the region,” it added.

Based on the bulletin issued March 14 by the Department of Health (DOH), Eastern Visayas logged no new COVID-19 patients. The region has 69 active cases.

City Mayor Alfred Romualdez met with Tiopes on Saturday to revitalize the city’s tourism sector.

“We are ready to revive and revitalize our tourism by meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) here with us. Hopefully, we will continue to work together to keep everyone safe and healthy and so that we can contribute to recovering together from the pandemic,” he said in a statement.

Tacloban, the regional capital of Eastern Visayas, offers places for meetings and conferences through its various hotels and other similar venues.

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