BAKUNA SA AVIATION WORKERS ITINUTULAK NG TUCP

Sa gitna ng napipintong muling pagbubukas ng gobyerno sa tourism industry sa bansa na labis na naapektuhan ng COVID-19 pandemic at mas malaking pagsisikap para buhayin ang ating ekonomiya, nanawagan ang Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) sa Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases na isama sa A1 priority vaccination ang mga cabin crew, flight attendant, piloto at iba pang aviation workers.

Naniniwala ang TUCP na pawang mga frontline workers din ang air crew, gayundin ang mga seafarers at overseas Filipino workers, na malaki ang ambag para mapanatili ang ating ekonomiya sa ilalim ng isang mapanganib na kapaligiran sa kalusugan, at samakatuwid ay dapat bigyan ng prayoridad ng  gobyerno para sa mass vaccination laban sa banta ng COVID-19 infections.

“Air transport is a frontline activity underpinning both human mobility and global trade,” giit ni TUCP President Rep. Raymond C. Mendoza.

“Air transport relies on aircrew, who travel across borders at all times,which may result in the need to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry in some countries. For Philippine air transport to sustain various industries and to carry domestic and foreign tourists, our aircrew need to be vaccinated as soon as possible,” paliwanag ni Mendoza.

“Failure to vaccinate our aircrews will result in the application of stringent public health rules to aircrew,” binigyang diin ng TUCP President.

” This is the similar problem that confronted our seafarers and OFWs before they were given A1 priority classification.  Without prioritization for vaccination,  the consequences will be hindered connectivity, many delays, operational complexity, and significant costs which will make our tourism and other industries uncompetitive,”  babala ni Mendoza.

Bilang paghahanda sa muling pagbubukas ng tourism industry, nag-isyu ang IATF noong Mayo 31, 2021 ng resolution 118 na pinahihintulutan ang pagbiyahe ng mga turista anuman ang edad mula sa Metro Manila at kalapit na lalawigan tulad ng Bulcan, Cavite, Laguna at Rizal na nasa ilalim ng modified general community quarantine hanggang Hunyo 31, 2021.

“Flight attendants, cabin crew, pilots, ground personnel and other  aviation workers who are working in confined and congested spaces are  highly vulnerable to COVID-19 exposure and should be vaccinated first before serving the tourism sector or the global supply chain,” saad Mendoza.

“Government must prioritize the vaccination of our aviation workers who are frontline and key  essential workers  because they keep the air industry alive without which our entire economy,and not just tourism,cannot be revived. Our aircrews also  successfully flew humanitarian missions  repatriating stranded and distressed overseas Filipino workers,” dagdag pa nito.

Sa pagmomonitor ng kaakibat ng TUCP na Associated Labor Unions (ALU), mahigit sa 5,000 Filipino aviation workers ang permanenteng tinanggal sa trabaho at ilang libo pa ang iniligay sa floating-on-call status simula noong tumama ang pandemic crisis sa airline sector mahigit isang taon na ang nakalilipas.

“Distressed airlines also turned to pay cuts and reduction of benefits instead of layoffs to preserve their workforce,” ayon kay ALU National Executive Vice President Gerard Seno.

Sa kaso ng Cebu Pacific cabin crew union Juan Wing Association of the Philippines, patuloy itong nakikipagtulungan sa management sa pagharap sa krisis.

“Despite these, aviation workers also now performing a critical role in helping bring vaccines, medicines, and safely transport medical healthworkers to other parts of the country on a daily basis.  Airlines are now our vaccine run, milk run, and recovery pathway for an economic take-off. And yet, our aircrews are always at risk of exposing themselves and their families to serious disease caused by the virus. There should no longer be any more “if’s” or “but’s”. We must vaccinate them now,” ayon kay Seno.