TO ENTICE Cebu City residents to avail themselves of the Covid-19 vaccination program, the City Council has appealed to commercial establishments to provide incentives to vaccinated customers.
The City Council, through a resolution, asked the commercial establishments to give incentives to vaccinated individuals by offering discounts, freebies, deals and promos.
The City Council passed the resolution authored by City Councilor Alvin Dizon during its regular session on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
The commercial establishments include grocery stores and supermarkets, restaurants, online food businesses, gyms and spas, hotels, pharmacies, tourism spots and attractions in the city, public transportation, retail stores and service-oriented establishments.
Should establishments heed the resolution, the vaccinated customer has to present proof that he has already received a Covid-19 vaccine jab.
Copies of the resolution were furnished to the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI); Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc.; Cebu City Tourism Commission; Filipino Cebuano Business Club Inc.; Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board; Cebu City Health Department, and City Mayor’s Office.
Dizon said the measure would not only encourage the public to avail themselves of the vaccination program in the city, but it will also help reinvigorate the business community and the economy in the city.
Dizon said it would also serve as an information, education and communication platform to educate the public about the facts on Covid-19 vaccines.
The councilor is aware that vaccination hesitancy is present, but this can be addressed through proper information and education dissemination.
“One strategy that could help encourage positive health-related choice which in this case, getting the jab, is the use of reward and incentives through the involvement of the business sector,” said Dizon.
As of May 12, the City had vaccinated a total of 20,041 individuals for the first dose under the Priority Codes A1, A2 and A3, or the healthcare workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities, respectively.
Of the 20,041, 5,344 are health care workers; 10,202 senior citizens; 3,036 persons with comorbidities; and 1,459 individuals who belong under these three priority sectors, but did not specify in their registration which sector they belong.
For the second dose, a total of 2,009 individuals have been vaccinated.
A total of 105,716 individuals have already registered for the city’s vaccination program as of May 13.
Support
For their part, the CCCI and Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) Cebu Chapter supported the move of the Cebu City Council.
CCCI president Felix Taguiam said giving discounts or freebies could be an effective way of bringing back consumer confidence that could lead to more spending.
He said there must be implementing rules and regulations to avoid any kind of abuse from the customers.
Taguiam said grocery store owners are also reeling from the high cost of operations and low profit margins.
Chester Lim, president of PRA Cebu Chapter, said they will encourage their members to come up with promos.
“In support of our government and local government units, PRA Cebu Chapter encourages its members to extend any form of discounts or freebies as a way to encourage people to get vaccinated. The sooner we can immunize the majority of the population, the faster we can recover the economy,” he said. (JJL, JOB)