Umapela si Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) para masiguro na hindi aabusuhin ng mga business owners ang bagong Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) resolution na pinangangambahan ngayon ng mga hindi pa bakunadong empleyado lalo na sa mga restaurant at iba pang in-person services.

Hinikayat ni Drion ang gobyerno na maging ‘resonable’ habang hindi pa bakunado ang kalakhang manggagawa dahil sa kakulangan ng suplay ng COVID-19 vaccines.

Pinunto ng senador na kahit ang vaccine czar na si Secreatry Carlito Galvez Jr., inamin na nahaharap sa logistical challenges ang pamahalaan at mayroong pang mga rehiyon kabilang ang Metro Manila na nananatiling mas mababa ang vaccination turnout sa target na 70 percent sa eligible population.

“It is not their fault that the rollout of the COVID- 19 vaccination program is slow,” sabi ni Drilon sa isang pahayag.

“While an employer owning restaurants and establishments offering in-person services can require vaccination of its employees to comply with IATF guidelines and protect both the workers and customers going into these privately-owned establishments, it is unreasonable to terminate employment or withhold salary when the employee remains is unvaccinated through no fault of his own,”pagbibigay-diin ng dating labor secretary.

Hindi dapat umano pasanin ng mga mangggagawa ang bagahe ng pagbabakuna at dapat sagot na ng mga negosyante ang suliranin na ito kung kakayanin.

“They will get vaccinated once the vaccines are available. Until such time, let us be more reasonable and understanding of their situation,”sabi ni Drilon.

Pagpupunto ng senador: “The DOLE should not be rash in saying that the employer can resort to termination of employment in these cases. Termination of employment is the ultimate penalty that employers can impose. It should not be easily resorted to.”

Tiwala naman si Drilon sa pahayag ni Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III na hindi papabor sa mandatory vaccination para sa lahat ng manggagawa hangga’t kulang ang suplay ng bakuna.

“I support Sec. Bello’s statement that there should be no mandatory vaccination for all workers until we have addressed the supply side and the logistical challenges,”sabi ni Drilon.

“If work has been rendered, it is illegal to withhold salary regardless of the vaccination status of the worker,” tugon ni Drilon sa paratang ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)na mayroong mga kompanya na sangkot sa “now vaccine, no pay” scheme.

Hannah Torregoza