Philippines incentivises vaccinated workers with freebies

The Philippines is incentivising its workers to get vaccinated, handing out bicycles and other freebies under a dedicated programme to employees who are fully vaccinated. 

“Starting July 1, those who are vaccinated will receive bikes, along with a bag and a cellphone with P5,000 load. Get vaccinated and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will give a little incentive,” Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello III said at a virtual briefing, reports Philstar Global. 

Some 1,000 essential workers from Metro Manila and another thousand from other regions are expected to benefit from the programme, the minister said. 

While workers are encouraged to get vaccinated, DOLE maintains that it is not legal for employers to require their staff to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations before they can enter the workplace.

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The Department of Trade and Industry is also urging different businesses to apply for and secure safety seals — a voluntary certification scheme that affirms that an establishment is compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government — so that more people are able to return to work and the economy can be reopened.