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Philippines: Biz groups ask gov’t to allow firms to use their vaccines as boosters for workers

  • Nov 23, 2021

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-six business groups are asking the government to allow the private sector to use their large stockpile of vaccines as booster shots for employees to prevent wasting jabs and a resurgence in infections.

“We no longer have a shortage, and with such as large stockpile, we risk having vaccines expire and go to waste,” the Makati Business Club and 25 more groups said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Without boosters we increase the risk of another surge which could shut down the economy,” they added.

Months back, the Duterte administration mandated the private sector to give parts of their Covid19 vaccine purchases to the government as its own purchases left stocks wanting. The government’s vaccine stores now number 60 million as supplies are filled faster than doses could be shot into arms. 

As of November 22, there are 33.8 million fully vaccinated people in the Philippines, or a little over 30% of the country’s total population. Meanwhile, cases around the country have gone down considerably in past weeks that restrictions in Metro Manila have been eased, allowing the economy to slowly crawl back to recovery mode. 

In their statement, the business groups underscored the need for booster shots as vaccine efficacy wanes past six months. “The private sector purchased the vaccines to help the government vaccinate as many as possible as soon as possible. We have been ready to do so even as the government imposed priorities when supply was scarce,” they said. 

“With the oversupply, the private sector asks the government to allow it to use these vaccines to take care of their employees and dependents as their contribution to accelerating national vaccination,” they added.

Apart from Makati Business Club, the statement was also signed by the following groups:

  • ACI Philippines
  • Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice
  • Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
  • Cebu Business Club
  • Cebu Leads Foundation
  • Chamber of Thrift Banks
  • CIBI Foundation, Inc.
  • European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines
  • Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines
  • Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc.
  • Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines Inc.
  • Investment House Association of the Philippines
  • IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines
  • Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines
  • Management Association of the Philippines
  • Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc.
  • Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines
  • Philippine Life Insurance Association
  • Philippine Center For Entrepreneurship (GoNegosyo)
  • Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia
  • Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines
  • Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines
  • Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc.
  • Tax Management Association of the Philippines

Source: https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/11/23/2143307/biz-groups-ask-govt-allow-firms-use-their-vaccines-boosters-workers