Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. is not amenable to the proposal to require workers to get themselves vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
While he sees the importance of vaccination, Defensor said they would not force employees of business establishments in the province to be inoculated.
Instead of tackling the proposed “no vaccine, no work” policy, the provincial government, according to the governor, will focus on educating the public about the vaccination program.
Defensor said all workers are considered “economic drivers” and are among the priority recipients of COVID-19 shots.
The idea of requiring workers to get vaccinated was floated by Mayor Jerry Treñas.
In his interview over radio station Bombo Radyo-Iloilo, Treñas said the city will not achieve the herd immunity against COVID -19 if not everyone is vaccinated.
But the mayor clarified that the mandatory inoculation of workers is still under study.
“We are just putting it on the table for discussion so that indi lang kita kundi ang iban nga siyudad maistoryahan man ini. I want to clarify nga we are talking about this for discussion purposes,” said Treñas.
“Waay kita nagabutang sini para piliton ta na ang tawo nga magdesisyon. This is not to compel anyone to be vaccinated just because they do not agree. Wala kita naghambal sini nga ginapilit ta nga ‘kay ti indi kamo kaobra pabakuna na lang kamo,” he further said.IMT
