MANILA — The government is planning to reward workers for getting inoculated against COVID-19 in a bid to boost vaccination in the country, the spokesperson of the National Task Force on COVID-19 (NTF) said Thursday.

To encourage essential workers to get vaccinated, the government is studying to give them incentives such as discounts on goods or services, said NTF Spokesperson Restituto Padilla.

"Mungkahi pa lang ito na kinukunsidera para nang sa ganoon ay maengganyo natin [sila na magpabakuna]," said Padilla.

(It's still a proposal that we're considering. That way we can encourage them to get vaccinated.)

Essential workers are part of the A4 priority group that is next in line to receive the jabs.

• Mga kompanya mag-aalok ng 'giveaway' sa mga empleyadong magpapabakuna
• Restaurants may soon offer freebies, rewards to those who completed their Covid vaccine shots

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said he has talked to the Philippine Retailers Association and the Philippine Franchise Association to come up with discounts on goods for those that would be vaccinated.

Restaurant group Resto.ph earlier said it would offer discounts to those who have been immunized against COVID-19 but it was still finalizing the mechanics.

Meanwhile, Marikina City started its immunization drive using Pfizer vaccine on Thursday using COVID-19.

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the local government could not follow the Department of Health's recommendation to halt announcements of COVID-19 vaccine brands that would be used in a particular vaccination site.

"Paano kung ibakuna, gagamitin sa kaniya hindi akma sa comorbidites na mayroon siya o hindi tama sa kaniyang medical condition? Kaya nga bago isaksak, pinapaliwanag kung ano ang epekto nito sa taong tatanggap," Teodoro said.

(What if the vaccine that will be used isn't fit for the recipient's comorbidities or medical condition? That's why before we give the vaccine, we explain its effects.)

• Gov't orders LGUs: Halt COVID vaccine brand announcements

The health department made the recommendation after people earlier flocked to vaccination sites offering Pfizer vaccines, which was also the preferred brand by Marikina residents.

"It's my own health which is at stake, parang (so it's like my) privilege ko to choose my own vaccine," said Rachel Camaya, who received a shot of the Pfizer vaccine in Marikina.

"Noong una talaga very adamant ako, mas gusto ko not the Chinese vaccine pero honestly, lately ang mentality ko, doesn't matter what the brand is as long as everybody is vaccinated," said Apollo Abraham, who also got a Pfizer shot.

(At first I was very adamant, I didn't prefer the Chinese vaccine but honestly, lately my mentality is it doesn't matter what the brand is as long as everybody is vaccinated.)

The Philippines is planning to vaccinate 70 million of its population by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. As of Tuesday, some 3.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country.

• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

— Reports from Alvin Elchico and Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News

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