City Hall employees wait for their turn to get vaccinated at the pop-up vaccination site at the Cebu City Hall. | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Hall employees are given the last chance to get vaccinated against COVID-19 so they can get their P20,000 bonus.
According to the data released by the Office of Acting Mayor Michael Rama, at least 85 to 90 percent of the 5,000 employees or around 4,500 employees of the City Hall are already vaccinated.
Rama said that only a few hundred more would need convincing and they planned to hold information drives to these few individuals who still refused to get vaccinated.
“Mao na akong giingon nga we need to convince them. Ngano di man mo magpabakuna? Dapat magpabakuna mo. If needed, magpadala tag doctor to explain to them,” said Rama.
(That is what I am saying that we need to convince them. Why would you not want to get vaccinated? You should get vaccinated. If needed, we can send a doctor to explain to them [why they should get vaccinated].)
The acting mayor reminded the City Hall employees to take his challenge seriously as he was serious when he said he would not allow the release of the P20,000 Christmas bonuses if not all employees would be vaccinated.
He only takes exemptions to employees who can present a valid medical certificate. However, he will not stop trying to convince everyone to get them vaccinated.
The City Health Department (CHD) has put up a special pop-up vaccination site at the Social Hall at City Hall to bring the vaccination closer to the employees especially with the mandate of Acting Mayor Michael Rama that the Christmas bonus will only be released if all employees get vaccinated.
CHD Officer-in-charge, Doctor Jeffrey Ibones, said the pop-up vaccination site would end tomorrow, but they would be reaching out to more departments for even more local vaccinations.
In fact, they may be holding vaccinations in other city buildings that are far from the City Hall, or they can transport the employees to and fro City Hall if needed.
Ibones notes though that if they cannot get themselves vaccinated, they need to present a medical certificate from their private physicians.
“Bisan kaming department heads, ganahan gyod mi mabakunahan tanan kay siempre ganahan tag bonus. Hago kaayo ta during the pandemic,” said Ibones.
(Even us department heads, we also want all to be vaccinated because of course we also want to have a bonus. We have also worked so hard during the pandemic.)
The turn-out for the pop up vaccination site at the City Hall was still low around noon of Thursday, but Ibones expected the number of individuals to increase towards the end of the day.
The site at City Hall will also cater to any individual who wants to get vaccinated and have time to visit the Social Hall.
“If naa silay transaction nya wala pa sila mabakunahan, pwede ra gyod mohapit sila dinhi,” said Ibones.
(If they have a transaction at city hall and they have not yet been vaccinated, then they can drop by and get themselves vaccinated.)
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