Media workers urged to get COVID-19 jabs
HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Niña Taduran has called on the members of the media industry to sign up and get their coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccine as the government started inoculating the A4 priority group.
Taduran, a broadcaster, explained media workers are very vulnerable to the virus due to their daily exposure as they gather and produce news stories.
“Hindi huminto ang mga balita simula nang magka-pandemya. Walang nag-off the air at hindi naman nahinto ang printing ng mga diyaryo. Patuloy rin ang mga balita online. Araw-araw na kinakaharap ng mga taga-media ang panganib ng COVID-19. Sa katunayan, marami nang media workers ang nagka-COVID dahil sa pagtupad sa kanilang mga tungkulin kahit wala pang bakuna,” said Taduran.
As the government expects 10 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine to arrive this June, Taduran encourages all media workers to enlist themselves in their respective local government units.
“The best protection is whatever vaccine is available. Huwag nang mamili, lalo na at pinag-aralan naman ng husto ang mga bakuna bago ito ibigay sa mga mamamayan,” Taduran said.
Taduran assured media workers that there will be additional protection for them as they perform their duties with the expected passing of the Media Workers Welfare Bill.
“Inaasahan nating bago matapos ang taong ito ay mayroon nang batas na magbibigay ng proteksyon sa mga manggagawa sa media. Tamang suweldo at seguridad sa trabaho, sapat na equipment para sa proteksyon at insurance ang nakahanda para sa media workers kapag ito ay ganap nang batas,” Taduran said.
FIGHT COVID-19
As the nation marks the 123rd proclamation of Philippine Independence, Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera appealed Saturday for Filipinos to pull together and defeat the new COVID-19.
Herrera said the pandemic is from over and the continuous battle against the deadly disease would still require a lot of sacrifices from the public.
“I know that all of us are eager to wait for the time that we declare our independence from COVID-19, and I am sure we will get there for as long as we continue to follow the health protocols,” Herrera said.
“Like our freedom fighters, we all need to put the interest of the nation before us,” the Bagong Henerasyon lawmaker pointed out.
Herrera said the sacrifices Filipinos have to make during the pandemic are “just temporary and slightly inconvenient.”
“But if all of us do it together, the positive effects will multiply and benefit the whole nation and our fellow countrymen, including our loved ones,” she added.
But while more Filipinos are getting inoculated against the deadly virus, Herrera said there is no room to be complacent.
“COVID-19 is still around and no one is immune to the virus,” she explained.
“It is risky not to follow health and safety protocols, such as wearing of face masks and face shields, frequent hand washing and observing social distancing,” Herrera said.
