The Makati City government will be shouldering the coronavirus vaccinations of all workers in the city, including those nonresidents of the Philippines’ premier business district. 

Makati Mayor Abby Binay said on Sunday, January 31, that all individuals employed by registered businesses in the city – both residents and nonresidents alike – will be covered by their free COVID-19 vaccination program. 

For employees to qualify, Binay said Makati-based companies must have a 2021 business permit and their tax payments must be updated.

“We will use the number of employees declared by the businesses in their business permit applications as basis for the number of employees who will be vaccinated for free. This is our way of helping our economic frontliners,” Binay said in a statement.

The mayor said there are 500,000 Makati residents, but the city’s population balloons to as high as 5 million whenever nonresidents go to Makati to work or to visit establishments there. 

Makati’s free COVID-19 immunization program, however, will not cover employees of companies that will be purchasing their own vaccine supplies. 

These will likely include the Makati-based companies owned by business tycoons who are chipping in to help the Philippine government secure enough COVID-19 vaccines for Filipinos. The tycoons are expected to donate 50% to 80% of what they are set to procure, while the rest will be given to their essential workers at no cost.

The Makati City government is allocating P1 billion ($20.83 million) in 2021 for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines that would be administered to all residents for free. 

Frontliners and senior citizens are among the priority groups for the immunization program. 

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Should any resident experience adverse effects linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, their medical expenses will be covered by the local government.

“Anybody who experiences adverse effects will receive free hospitalization. For nonresidents it will be covered by PhilHealth and the ‘Malasakit Financial Assistance’ from the Department of Health. In Makati, our #ProudMakatizens will get free medical and health assistance through our Yellow Card program,” said Binay.

Makati has already signed a tripartite deal to secure one million doses of British-Swedish biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The Southeast Asian country, among the world’s laggards in its vaccination rollout, aims to start immunizations in February. It has the second-worst coronavirus outbreak in the region with more than half a million infections and over 10,000 deaths. – with reports from Reuters/Rappler.com

*US$1 = P48.01