Hiring only fully vaccinated against COVID-19 applicants is not a form of discrimination, said vaccine czar and National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
The official made the remark after the private sector urged the Inter-Agency Task Force Against Emerging Infectious Diseases to give incentives for fully vaccinated individuals.
One of which is to allow companies to only hire vaccinated applicants. In addition, employees who are not inoculated were suggested to be tested weekly at their own expense.
“It is the prerogative of companies to hire, train, promote and fire employees,” Galvez said.
“It is not discrimination but the moral and corporate responsibility of the company to protect its people, clients, consumers and business interest, he added.
“Public interest is higher than personal interest,” Galvez said.
“The principle of recruitment is to get the best among the qualified. The company has the right to choose and reject applications. Why will you choose [someone] that will become a threat to your existence?” he added.
“In the next round of battle, the next round of surge will be the battle of the unvaccinated which will become the state’s liability and weakness in our fight against COVID-19,” Galvez said.
“They are the burden that we have to carry on this long battle,” he added.
Hiring only fully vaccinated applicants not a discrimination – Galvez
According to Galvez, companies’ decision to hire or reject an applicant was for “the promotion of public safety and common good.”
“Why hire people who do not accept moral responsibility with the company?” Galvez said.
“Private sector has its own rules. I have been in the recruitment for five years, good moral character and obedience are one of our mandatory requirements. If the applicant does not follow rules, he or she will be automatically disqualified,” he added.
Earlier, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) revealed that some workers complain that their employers are not paying them while not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the so-called “no-jab-no-pay” scheme is illegal, and he called on all victims to file a complaint.
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