Senator Joel Villanueva urged the government to start injecting vaccines into essential workers now instead of ending up throwing away vaccines that had expired.
Villanueva stressed that while health workers are on top of the priority list, other frontline workers deserve and need to be vaccinated as soon as possible, too.
“Vaccination should be time-on-target because vaccines have expiry dates,” the veteran legislator said.
“Instead of throwing away, use it now,” added the chair of the Senate labor committee.
The seasoned lawmaker said while frontline health workers “must always be first in line,” priority should also be given to those who provide essential services and expose themselves to risks of infection in doing so.
“After health workers, next in line should be other essential workers in case there is inventory in danger of being spoiled.”
The senator said after health workers, next in line should be other essential workers “in case there is inventory in danger of being spoiled”.
“A good operation is one that has a contingency. Even in airplanes, there is a waitlist isn’t it?” he stressed.
Villanueva said he also sees the need to give priority to vaccinating public transport drivers and workers who deliver essential goods.
“They meet and exceed the definition of essential workers who, by the nature of their work, are exposed to risk. They are in close contact with hundreds of passengers and customers a day,” he said.
“If there’s no transportation, who would bring our nurses to the hospital, or cashier to the grocery, or the pharmacist to drug stores? Who will deliver food or groceries if there are no riders?” Villanueva asked.
“If there’s a clear list of priorities, there wouldn’t be any jumping the line.”
“That’s why I repeat, if there’s a clear list of priorities, there wouldn’t be any jumping the line,” he added.
“Giving vaccines to other essential workers is also urgent,” Villanueva said.
“These are the people who keep the lifelines of society open at great risk to themselves,” he concluded.