ECOP starts jabs for NCR workers

MANILA, Philippines — More than 1,000 NCR-based workers in the manufacturing and construction sectors received their first jabs as part of the “Reform. Rebound. Recover: 1M Jobs (1MJ) Project” initiated by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

“Today, we take a big leap in this project through a vaccination program for our workers, so they will be fully equipped against COVID-19 when they start or resume to work,” ECOP president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said. “Initially, this vaccination plan was only intended for new hires. But ECOP worked with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the inclusion of existing workers by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).”

The workers belong to the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines (SEIPI). Discussions with other industry association partners are underway for the planned rollout in their respective sectors and locations.

The 1MJ Project is a joint initiative of ECOP with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc., Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, PCA, Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Inc. and SEIPI. The project is also supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Transportation, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism and Commission on Higher Education.

The kickoff event was held in Intramuros, Manila at the DOLE premises. Present in the kickoff event were DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno.