Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will not issue an executive order to require all Capitol employees to get vaccinated, but he encouraged them to do so as it will benefit them and their families.
Lacson said he understands if some local government units came up with rules requiring unvaccinated employees to present negative RT-PCR result, at their own expense, at least twice a month.
He clarified that vaccination is not compulsory but the employees themselves should balance the advantages and disadvantages of getting vaccinated, based on the situations and experiences of others.
There are more than three thousand employees of the provincial government, including casuals and job orders. Lacson estimated that 20 percent of them are still unvaccinated.
Lacson said he will announce on Monday during the switch-on of the Christmas tree and lights at the Capitol lagoon, the amount that the provincial government employees will receive as bonuses.
Lacson will also celebrate his birthday on Dec. 13.
He added that with the second leg of the national vaccination drive on Dec. 15 to 17, he hopes that local government units will also cooperate and give their all, similar to what had happened during the first part on Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.
Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said the province has yet to vaccinate 50 percent of the target population, and he is not sure that herd immunity against COVID can be attained by the end of 2021.
The provincial target is 1.4 million, covering 70 percent of the total Negros Occidental population.
Before the national vaccination drive, the province logged a 38 percent vaccination output.
Lacson said he had committed to the Department of Health 6 that the province will vaccinate 70 percent of its population by February next year. — MML
