Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 16) — San Miguel Corporation on Wednesday began vaccinating its essential workers to kick off the private business sector’s COVID-19 vaccination drive.
Over 500 employees who belong to the A4 priority group gathered at La Salle Green Hills to receive their shots. The company aims to vaccinate 70,000 of its employees, extended workforce, and their families.
SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang urged his staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and avoid choosing vaccine brands.
“San Miguel spends billions of pesos in doing everything we can to help our people, our co-employees and partners,” he said during the event.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. thanked SMC for its efforts, and encouraged other big companies to follow suit.
“Parang magkaibigan ‘yung gobyerno at saka ‘yung private sector, talagang walang iwanan ‘yan. From the start nakita na natin lalo na ‘yung SMC, they produce PPE for our healthcare workers,” he said.
[Translation: The government and private sector are like friends, they stick together and no one is left behind. From the start, especially SMC, they helped produce PPE for our healthcare workers.]
Aside from the LSGH and Jose Rizal University vaccination sites in Mandaluyong, Ang said SMC is eyeing 14 other centers in Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Albay, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Isabela, Bataan, Cebu, Mandaue, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.
San Miguel has purchased AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines, which are set to arrive in July.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. announced it will be the first private sector to receive its vaccine delivery. It is set to receive 500,000 doses of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.
FFCCCII President Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong said the vaccine rollout schedule will be finalized after the arrival of the required Certificate of Analysis from Sinovac Biotech.
