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MANILA – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez believes that vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) should not be a requirement in companies, but firms should think of ways to incentivize employees that got the jab.
During the Laging Handa public briefing Thursday, Lopez said employers cannot fire their workers just because they have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19.
He added incentivizing the vaccinated employees will help in encouraging those unvaccinated to get their Covid-19 jabs.
Instead of a ‘no vaccine, no job’ policy, the DTI chief said firms can have the prerogative to prioritize vaccinated employees for promotions than those unvaccinated workers.
Lopez said companies may also prefer to hire applicants that got their Covid-19 shots.
“Don’t require (the vaccination) but incentivize it,” he said in Filipino.
But the top trade official urged Filipinos to get the much-needed “shot in the arm” to lower risks of contracting Covid-19, and to further decrease severe cases and deaths because of the virus.
He added vaccination is also the key to open up more economic activities and bring back jobs across the country. (PNA)
