The Tourism Department said that 150 quarantine hotel workers have received their vaccines against COVID-19 on Labor Day.
In a statement, the tourism department said the vaccination of the tourism frontliners is part of the preparation for the inoculation of individuals under the A4 priority list, which includes tourism industry workers.
“Tourism has always played a major part in uplifting the economy before the pandemic, and it is only by ensuring the good health and safety of our tourism workers through their inoculation can we be assured that they will be ready once the industry fully restarts,” Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said.
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Puyat also lauds the inclusion of tourism workers in the government’s priority list under the A4 category.
“It is a testimony of the government’s firm resolve to ensure that the Philippine tourism industry will continue to survive this pandemic and thrive after it,” she said.
“The Department looks forward to the day when each and every worker with a stake in the future of our industry will be inoculated against this virus so we can carry on with renewed hope, and embark on our road to tourism recovery,” Puyat added.
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Labor Chief Silvestre Bello III said that nearly 3,000 workers were vaccinated against COVID-19 on Labor Day.
The government initially wants to vaccinate 5,000 employees on the day but Bello said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that it was not able to meet its target due to the lack of time.
“Medyo kinapos sa oras. Marami ang nandoon pero, ‘di sila inabutan ng panahon kasi umabot na ng gabi, ‘di pa natatapos ang pagbabakuna,” he said. (TDT)
