SHAKEY’S Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. said it would offer free coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine to all of its employees across the country, and donate 5,000 doses to the government.
The listed company said in a regulatory filing on Monday that it contracted 20,000 doses under tripartite agreements between the Philippine government, vaccine manufacturers, and the private sector.
Shakey’s said its vaccination initiative will be given for free and on a voluntary basis to all employees from its Shakey’s Pizza, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, and R&B Milk Tea brands, and its corporate support and commissary personnel.
It added that vaccine doses will also be available for the dependents of the company’s employees, and for business partners such as franchisees, service providers, and contractors.
The company also announced that it is presently doing organization-wide information and awareness initiatives to convince hesitant employees and assist in increasing the vaccination rate.
Meanwhile, Shakey’s said the 5,000 doses to be donated to the government will pass through the Department of Health and will be deployed following its prioritization strategy and allocation framework.
“Health and safety will always remain our top priority. Our philosophy is that guests must know, feel, and see that they are safe. A crucial component of that is ensuring that our employees are safe and healthy as well,” Shakey’s President and Chief Executive Officer Vicente L. Gregorio said in the disclosure.
To recall, Shakey’s previously teamed up with RelianceUnited, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Laboratories, to ensure the safety of its employees and prevent the spread of COVID-19. The company also implemented a COVID infection control program that concentrates on the long-term implementation of occupational safety and health measures.
“Telemedicine hotline services, including telephone-based medical consultation and triaging, diagnostic testing, and daily monitoring of health conditions are likewise made available to all employees,” the company said.
Mr. Gregorio said the company remains committed to maintaining the safety of its guests and employees.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, we have implemented strict sanitation and safety procedures that are aligned with World Health Organization recommendations. We likewise rolled out more convenient off-premise options to our guests, such as park & order and park & dine-in,” Mr. Gregorio said.
For 2020, Shakey’s posted a net loss of P247 million due to the temporary closure of 91% of its store network as a result of quarantine measures. The company’s total sales last year reached P6.6 billion.
On Monday, shares of SPAVI at the stock exchange rose 0.28% or two centavos to finish at P7.23 each. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
