More than 1,000 workers in the construction and manufacturing sectors have received their first dose of the vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 during the inoculation rollout headed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Intramuros, Manila.

In a news release Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said construction and manufacturing workers should be considered front-liners for constituting the backbone of the country’s economy.

The administered vaccines are part of a special allocation of close to 500,000 doses for the workers of these sectors as part of efforts to hasten economic recovery.

The vaccination is a boost to the private sector’s “Reform, Rebound, Recover 1Million Jobs for 2021”.

The initial recipients of the vaccine will get their second dose on Oct. 6.

Bello recognized the role of these workers in nation-building, stressing that the economy “will not move” without them.

“Finally, they (other government agencies) realized the value of our workers (You should belong to the A1 category,” he added.

The special vaccination program was under the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) Task Force chaired by the DOLE and co-chaired by the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Tourism (DOT).

At the same time, Bello again thanked National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. for granting their request for vaccine allocation on behalf of the construction and manufacturing industries.

Workers in other areas such as Central Luzon and Calabarzon will also be inoculated.

Other partners include Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Constructors Association and the local government of Manila; among others.

The event was sponsored by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Globe Telecoms and Intramuros Administration. (PNA)