In line with the government’s goal of achieving herd immunity by vaccinating at least 70 percent of Filipinos against COVID-19, Aboitiz Power Corporation is ramping up its vaccination program for employees, with more than 1,300 team members from Luzon and Visayas having received at least one dose as of Monday, August 9.
The program, dubbed “We Got Your Vacc,” is also aligned with the Aboitiz Group’s target of vaccinating more than 30,000 team members and subcontractors nationwide. AboitizPower alone targets to inoculate this year 5,000 team members who have signed up for the program.
“We hope to keep this momentum until all of our consenting team members have received the vaccine. This is part of our commitment to helping the government reach its target of vaccinating a majority of the population and a testament to the value that we place on our team members’ health and safety,” AboitizPower President and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio said.
Through a consortium of public and private agencies that have procured vaccines for the Philippines, the company was able to secure AstraZeneca doses for its team members while its employees were given the option to buy Moderna or Novavax for their dependents.
Those recently vaccinated were mostly team members and subcontractors from the National Capital Region (NCR) where AboitizPower’s corporate office is located while the rest were from Toledo City in midwest Cebu, home to its 340-megawatt thermal power plant. After NCR and Cebu, AboitizPower is set to roll out vaccination drives in the rest of its sites across the country this month.
Luzon-based team member Serapio Vito said he is thankful that he got his first shot because he wants to be protected from the virus, especially since his work entails interacting with members of their host community in Pagbilao, Quezon.
“I feel more safe and secure after getting vaccinated, but I still have to follow the health protocols to avoid the dangers and risks of COVID-19,” he added.
Meanwhile, Cebu-based team member Marigold Lebumfacil said she received the vaccine not only to protect herself but also her two kids, aged 7 and 3.
“By being part of the solution through vaccination, my children will be given the chance to see a brighter tomorrow and they, too, can have a better future,” she said.
AboitizPower has partnered with healthcare administrator Reliance United to facilitate the vaccination activities. Since last year, they have also been with the company to shed light on misconceptions about COVID-19, the available vaccines, and the whole vaccination process, as well as provide medical advice to AboitizPower employees.
