DOLE chief says vax is important but respects workers who don’t want it

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma (PHOTO FROM SSS.GOV.PH)

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said Friday that while the vaccination of workers against COVID-19 is important, he respects those who do not want to get inoculated.

Laguesma said the issue of mandatory vaccination is “always a sensitive and emotional issue.”

“Ako personally, I believe in the value na magkaroon ka ng bakuna, especially because I consider myself a senior citizen… so nakita ko ang benepisyo,” Laguesma said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he would support making vaccination mandatory for workers.

(I personally believe in the value of getting vaccinated because I consider myself a senior citizen so I see its benefits.)

“But of course we respect those who would actually more or less reason out why they are averse to being vaccinated either on religious grounds or they have comorbidities that can be exacerbated or aggravated,” he added.

While he respects those who do not want to get vaccinated, Laguesma said he still wishes workers—including their families—would get inoculated.

“But at the end of the day, by and large, ako I support dapat mabakunahan ang ating mga manggagawa lalo na ang kanilang myembro ng pamilya at nakakapanghinayang na ma-miss natin ang opportunity,” Laguesma said.

(But at the end of the day, by and large, I support having workers vaccinated, especially their families because it’s a shame if we miss out on the opportunity to get vaccinated.)

“May mga pakinabang na mas mahalaga o mas matimbang compared doon sa apprehensions o sinasabi na mga negative side effects… Sana matingnan ng mga manggagawa ang kahalagahan na magkaroon ng bakuna,” he added.

(The benefits outweigh the apprehensions or what they call the negative side effects… I hope our workers will see the importance of getting vaccinated.)

Under Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution No. 148-B, employers in certain sectors “shall require their eligible employees who are tasked to do onsite work to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”

Those who remain unvaccinated “may not be terminated” but shall be “required to undergo RT-PCR tests regularly at their own expense for purposes of onsite work.”

/MUF