EMPLOYERS TO GOVT: HELP MSME SOURCE JABS FOR WORKERS

EMPLOYERS have asked the government to relax the rules for vaccine purchase, as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) are finding it difficult to buy doses for their workers. Sergio R. Ortiz-luis Jr., president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop), urged the government to facilitate the orders of vaccines placed by MSMES. He said MSMES are now burdened not only by the cost of vaccines, but also by the procurement process.

“Anything that the private sector buys, the government saves money, especially in vaccines. It’s less expenses on the part of the government. I hope the government makes it easy for MSMES to procure the doses,” Ortiz-luis told the Businessmirror.

Ortiz-luis also questioned the findings of a survey that said two-thirds of firms in the Philippines are now arranging the purchase of vaccines on their employees’ behalf. Based on reports filed by MSMES with Ecop, they are finding it difficult to source the money for vaccine importation on financial losses suffered in the Covid-19 lockdowns.

“More than 90 percent of enterprises in the Philippines are micro, and they are the ones who got it worst during the pandemic,” Ortiz-luis said.

He confirmed some corporations based in the business district Makati City are assisting MSMES obtain vaccine shots. However, he admitted the private sector can only do so much, and it falls under the government’s responsibilities to supply them with vaccines.

Poll: 65% placed orders

A SURVEY by Willis Towers Watson released on Tuesday claimed nearly two-thirds, or 65 percent, of managements in the Philippines have now placed vaccine orders for their companies.

Among those who have yet to do so, the survey reported 58 percent of them are considering getting soon, while 42 percent have no plans at all. Further, 60 percent of the respondents said they are now working on securing vaccine shots for their workers.

The survey by Willis Towers Watson, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, and People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) gathered the insights of 250 human-resource practitioners in the Philippines and was conducted in February before the arrival of the first batch of vaccines in the country on Sunday.

Ortiz-luis argued MSMES should be allowed to recover first before they are required to order vaccines for their staff members. Without financial liquidity, MSMES, which make up more than 99 percent of business establishments in the Philippines, may be forced to buy vaccines at the expense of further losing capital, he added.