By Lade Jean Kabagani | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion on Friday (Oct. 22) dismissed reports that some employers are imposing a “no jab, no pay” policy.
Reports continue to circulate that some business establishments withheld salaries of their unvaccinated employees.
“At this point, employers are not implementing anything like that, no jab, no pay. We have checked and there’s nobody doing that. I don’t know where they are getting that information,” Concepcion said in an interview during the arrival of 698,600 doses of the private sector-procured AstraZeneca vaccine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Concepcion’s recommendation for mandatory vaccination of workers under “labor-intensive” industries has already reached Secretary Silvestre Bello III of the Department of Labor and Employment.
“We’re suggesting to mandate ‘yung mga (those under the) labor-intensive businesses like semi-conductor, ‘yung mga BPO (business process outsourcing), call centers, POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator), and business establishments that are of high risk,” he said.
He added the private sector also recommended requiring the vaccination of workers in restaurants, salons, spas, gyms, and cinemas as they are only accommodating vaccinated customers.
“I don’t think it’s correct na bakunado lang ang customers namin exclusively, then ang empleyado namin ay hindi bakunado (I don’t think it’s correct that only our customers are vaccinated exclusively, then our employees are not), so we are also recommending that they will impose that,” he said.
National Task Force Against COVID-19 Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr supports the proposed “no jab, no job” policy.
“They mandate the vaccination or else, magkakaroon talaga ng negative repercussions sa mga unvaccinated (or else, there will really be negative repercussions to those unvaccinated),” he added.
Galvez said people should understand the two kinds of rights, individual and common.
“Global common rights or saving the humanity is much higher than the individual right. An individual has the right to refuse the vaccination. I believe also, the companies have the right to preserve its institution from being contaminated with the virus,” he explained. (PNA) – bny
