LISTED Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. said on Thursday that it is looking to buy vaccines for 1,979 employees in an effort to inoculate its workers against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“The Company has facilitated the reservation of vaccines to its 1,979… employees with a leading pharmaceutical company,” Cirtek told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
The firm said it could not give details yet on the pharmaceutical company from which it will be buying the vaccines as it did not have consent to do so yet.
“The cost is estimated over [a] million of pesos and delivery time is estimated [in the] third quarter this year. The company is exerting maximum efforts toward the employees’ protection and benefits,” it added.
This came shortly after Cirtek told the local bourse on Wednesday that it had reserved COVID-19 vaccines by tying up with “a leading pharmaceutical company” to hasten the achievement of herd immunity against the disease and ensure the good health of its workers.
The move, which the firm said was welcomed by its employees, is part of the company’s commitment to the social responsibility aspect of its ESG (environmental, social and governance) principles.
In its earlier disclosure, Cirtek forecast that this year would see an increased growth in its semiconductor and wireless business segment driven by the shortage of semiconductor chips, the return of customer demand for various electronics parts, and “the positive outlook of the end of the crisis.”
The firm said that its telecommunications business would possibly grow in 2021 since it plans to roll out its 5G-model Quintel antennas by yearend.
Seven months ago, Cirtek said that its wholly owned unit Quintel USA, Inc. inked a master purchase agreement with a new telecommunications operator in North America. The carrier was said to launch its full commercial services for fifth-generation (5G) services from 2021.
“With this positive improvement of the business, Cirtek is hiring additional people to augment its current work force. This development thus gives assurance of continued employment as opposed to what the other business sectors are unfortunately experiencing,” Cirtek said.
Cirtek is engaged in the development of high-technology products that focus on 5G wireless communication. Shares of Cirtek in the stock exchange shed 1.09% or seven centavos to close at P6.35 apiece on Thursday. — Angelica Y. Yang
