The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) has expressed its support to the proposal of a presidential adviser to consider imposing restrictions to individuals who are yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III also recommended “incentives” to persons and businesses who have already been vaccinated.
These proposals aim to counter the spread of the contagious Delta variant of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippines, and Concepcion said the government should consider applying “bold moves,” such as restricting the unvaccinated population from entering and eating at certain establishments or moving around the country.
The other proposals, which FFCCCII also supported, include granting incentives to businesses that target the full vaccination of their employees.
“Fully vaccinated individuals can also be given incentives such as more mobility, ease of travel, and exempting them from mandatory tests.”
FFCCCII has also undertaken the Philippines’s first private sector import and roll-out of vaccines, with half a million Sinovac vaccine doses.
The group’s vaccination project from Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao is now on going for economic frontliners comprising entrepreneurs, employees and workers nationwide.
Target completion of this vaccination is end of August.
Federation President Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong said: “At zero cost to government, this civic project to vaccinate economic frontliners is undertaken to help lessen the burden of government, which is our contribution to the national goal of inoculating 70 million Filipinos, or 100 percent of the country’s adult population by the end of the year.
“Let us support the mass vaccination program for faster public health, consumer confidence and economic recovery of the Philippines this year,” Lim added.
FFCCCII is the nationwide business and civic federation of over 170 Filipino Chinese chambers of commerce, diverse trade and industry associations from Aparri to Tawi-Tawi. The FFCCCII members are Filipino Chinese entrepreneurs, majority of whom are Philippine-born and Filipino citizens, including civic-minded new immigrant entrepreneurs.
Image courtesy of Nonoy Lacza