The MVP Group inoculates more employees amid the Delta surge, with its latest arrival of a fresh batch of vaccines. The arrival of more vaccines paved the opening of its fourth NCR mega vaccination site, the Makati headquarters of Smart Communications Inc. (Smart).
The Vaccine Task Force of the group of companies chaired by business leader Manuel V. Pangilinan says the latest batch of vaccines puts it on course for inoculating all its people. The conglomerate previously announced that it ordered vaccines from Moderna and Astra Zeneca enough for more than 300,000 employees, dependents and household members, and the Group’s extended workforce.
The activation of Smart Tower as a vaccination site was made possible with the help of the City Government of Makati.
Describing the COVID-19 health crisis as a painful period for all, PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio regards the arrival of more vaccines for the MVP Group as a ray of hope. “I believe that the sooner we get these vaccinations done, the more lives we will be able to save, and the quicker we can revive our economy and recover as a nation,” he shared.
With forthcoming regional vaccinations, the conglomerate’s Vaccine Task Force is looking at a network of over 30 locations for inoculations nationwide.
The first arrival of company-procured Moderna vaccines end-June 2021 allowed the conglomerate to begin vaccinations of non-medical employees at pilot NCR megasites first week of July. Vaccination rates for pilot sites reached as much as 1,350 jabs per day.
MVP Group vaccination sites are manned mainly by frontliners from the MVP Group’s own Metro Pacific Hospitals Holdings Inc. (MPHHI), the country’s largest private hospital chain. Up to 98% of frontliners from MPHHI’s largest hospitals were vaccinated as early as March 2021, including those from Smart Tower’s healthcare partner, Makati Medical Center. MMC personnel are reinforced by Smart employee volunteers who facilitate key non-medical processes at the Group’s Makati site.
The continuous arrival within August of the MVP Group’s remaining vaccine orders will ramp up vaccinations for more employees rendering essential work amid the pandemic. In the case of Smart and its parent company PLDT Inc. (PLDT), these include field personnel in the networks, installs and repairs, sales groups, and all employees committed to delivering service as demand for connectivity continues to soar to unprecedented levels.
“PLDT is a customer-centric company with a people-first culture. The health and safety of our people is priority number one,” Panlilio said.
The opening of the Smart Tower vaccination site follows the launch of a consumer program under Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat, dubbed as Smart Bakuna Benefits. Aimed at giving people additional incentives to get vaccinated, one simply needs to present a vaccination card after getting inoculated to avail of exclusive deals from over 150 participating retail establishments nationwide.
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