Movie industry workers, classified under A4 of the government’s priority group recipients of COVID-19 vaccines, started getting their inoculations Friday, June 11.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), organizer of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), rolled out the program for the movie industry sector in partnership with the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (Mowelfund).

The MMDA said the immunization drive aimed to “maximize the support given to [the] beneficiaries and the local movie industry as a whole.”

“There are around 300,000 people from the local film industry who are directly affected by the pandemic. These include producers, cinemas, theater employees, ticket sellers, etcetera,” MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said in a statement.

Around 100 entertainment industry workers were scheduled to receive their initial dose COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.

Among the celebrities who were vaccinated include Joross Gamboa, Joko Diaz, Jerome Ponce, Candy Pangilinan, and JM De Guzman.

“Through our artists’ influence to the masses, they can help in addressing the public’s vaccine hesitancy and encourage them to get their jabs for the country to achieve herd immunity the soonest time possible,” Abalos said.

The vaccination of economic frontline workers or members of the A4 priority group only began in the Philippines on June 7, or three months since the country launched its legal COVID-19 immunization drive.

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Vaccination of economic frontline workers begins in the Philippines

Before Monday, only select sectors were allowed to receive the vaccine, such as health workers, governors and mayors, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities. — Rappler.com