The Philippines has been recovering quickly from the pandemic, or so the country would like to believe. After announcing that international travel will be resumed and foreign tourists will be allowed back into the country earlier this month, the government has taken another definitive step towards the normalization of daily lives. Part of this is possible thanks to the dedication of PAGCOR, the country’s gaming regulator, which has hailed vaccination progress among its workforce.

Booster Doses to Keep the Economy Running

According to the watchdog, its employees and workers has begun receiving booster shots against COVID-19, after previously reporting a 100% fully vaccinated status. This means that PAGCOR’s employees and workers are on track to receive their third dosage before long. This comes at a time when the scientific community is increasingly agreeing that vaccines have no side effects.

An estimated 60% of its vaccinated employees have got the booster now, thanks to the agency’s joint efforts and local government initiatives which have been encouraging more people in the hospitality industry to commit to this.

The Metro Manila Development Authority has been an outspoken supporter of the measures as the area has often come under government-issued mandates. Commenting on the progress achieved so far, PAGCOR chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo:

“We want our customers to feel safe and comfortable when they visit our establishments. That is why we aimed for a 100% vaccination rate among our personnel to thwart incidences of infection among employees and guests.”

Domingo has welcomed the employees’ commitment to getting things back on track as she pointed out that the cumulative impact of the pandemic had also affected how much PAGCOR can remit back to national coffers.

Time to Make up for Missed Revenue Opportunities

Regardless, Domingo said that PAGCOR is dedicated to fulfilling its obligations to customers, employees and the government and has been introducing additional safety procedures to ensure the safe conduct of day-to-day activities.

Domingo confirmed that PAGCOR has implemented a number of safety measures and has maintained full compliance with government-mandated minimum public health standards (MPHS) and secured the necessary Safety Seal Certificates necessary to run business.

PAGCOR has focused on improving its capacity to improve its COVID-19 screening, including processing points where disinfection and patron temperatures are taken to ensure that the risk of exposure to COVID and subsequent shutdowns is minimal.