Quezon City resident market vendors, market employees, and ambulant vendors who have not been vaccinated as of Jan. 7, 2022, and are willing to be vaccinated from Jan. 8 to 31, 2022 will be given a cash incentive of P2,000 each.

Mayor Joy Belmonte signed a memorandum providing incentives to ambulant vendors, market vendors, and market employees, in exchange for getting COVID-19 vaccine shots.

Belmonte said the move aims to encourage more QCitizens to get vaccinated.

The mayor said that the city government opted to provide vendors and market employees with P2000.00 to offset any disruption in their income-generating capacity.

Belmonte added that the city government acknowledged that among the unvaccinated are market vendors, market employees, and ambulant vendors who are earning their livelihoods on a day-to-day basis.

“Most markets vendors cannot leave their stalls because of possible loss of income, so to encourage them to take a day off to get vaccinated, we will provide them with incentives,” Belmonte said.

She disclosed that the Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) shall prepare the master list of eligible persons who can prove their status as market vendors, ambulant vendors, or market employees through previous registration with MDAD, or by presenting a vending permit, certification from their barangay or reputable vendors’ association, and proof of residency in Quezon City through any valid ID such as the QC ID, barangay ID, or voter’s ID, among others.

This list shall be submitted to the City Health Department for the facilitation of their vaccination schedule in nearby vaccination sites.

After getting their first dose, they may claim their financial assistance within an allowable period at a separate venue by presenting the above-mentioned requirements and the vaccination card showing their first COVID-19 vaccine shot.

The city council, on the other hand, enacted an ordinance regulating the mobility of unvaccinated individuals in the city, following the resolution of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated persons to protect them from severe or critical Covid.

City Ordinance SP 3076-S2022, which further reinforces the MMDA resolution, gives employees and workers a grace period of one month to get at least a first dose before the provision for a mandatory bi-monthly RT-PCR or antigen test is implemented. Failure to comply will result in fines of up to P3000 on a third offense.

Under the same ordinance, those who fail or refuse to get vaccinated shall be required to get a COVID-19 test every two weeks at their expense and present a negative result before being admitted to work onsite.

The city government, however, warned that any person caught providing false information to obtain financial assistance may be prosecuted under Ordinance No. SP3032 or the Ordinance Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud.