MARINDUQUE Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr yesterday supported moves to withhold year-end benefits or Christmas bonuses of local government employees who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the benefits are discretionary on the part of local government units (LGUs) which “can impose reasonable conditions.”
“LGUs with savings or additional revenues give additional benefits at the end of the year.
It’s voluntary and discretionary on the part of the local government units… that (year-end benefits) is not required by law and it’s within the power of the local government unit to grant such additional or voluntary benefits,” said Velasco, head of the League of Provinces of the Philippines
But Velasco said the LGUs could not withhold the 13th month pay which “is prescribed by law.”
“We can’t impose conditions for its release. We have to amend to law before imposing conditions on release of 13th month pay,” he said.
Cebu City acting mayor Michael Rama earlier said the city government has set aside P100 million for the bonus of some 5,000 employees but would not release the bonus “until all city employees are vaccinated.”
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Malacañang earlier supported Rama’s move.
The interior government over the weekend proposed not giving cash aid to beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps, who refuse to be vaccinated. After receiving flak, it said the proposal is just to withhold the cash aid which will be given after the beneficiary is vaccinated.
The government has been ramping up vaccination efforts against COVID-19 to inoculate at least 70 percent of the eligible population before the end of the year.
Velasco said the vaccination rate in some LGUs outside Metro Manila is merely 18 to 32 percent.
“We are appealing to allocate additional (vaccines) to these areas. There five or six regions that are currently given priority (in the vaccination). Our request is to also give additional vaccines to LGUs who are not in the priority (areas) if they can show they are capable of handling and administering the vaccines,” he said.
Velasco, however, said some LGUs lack storage facilities for the temperature-sensitive Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Velasco said concerned sectors should help these LGUs by lending them ultra-low cold storage facilities.
He noted some people prefer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines..
On vaccine hesitancy, Velasco said LGUs have to step up the information campaign, and LGUs should consider giving incentives to convince people to be vaccinated.
He said LGUs have been telling the people to be get vaccinated because a large percentage of those who died of COVID-19 are unvaccinated, and that vaccinated people are given privileges and priority in restaurants, supermarkets and business establishments.
“They (people) understand it, its just a matter of explaining to them properly,” Velasco said.
Metro Manila, epicenter of COVID infections in the country, has given the first vaccine dose to 100 percent of its target population while 91.1 have been fully vaccinated or given two doses, as of November 10.
This is according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque who added that nationwide, 66.8 million doses of vaccines have been administered with 39.51 million, or 30.4 percent of the targeted population, already fully vaccinated.
He said the government aims to inoculate 15 million individuals during the three-day national vaccination days starting November 29.
He said an order whether to declare the three days as executive holidays has yet to be issued but arrangements are already being made to make sure people can still take part in the vaccination program.
Dr. Kezia Rosario, from the secretariat of the National Vaccination Operations Center, said all registered vaccination sites will be activated for the event.
She also individuals can pre-register with their LGUs but walk-ins will also be welcomed at inoculation sites.
Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez said 118.112 million vaccine doses from various manufacturers have arrived in the country as of November 10. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
