The government on September 25 said it aims to vaccinate all tourism workers in the country by the end of

the year in a bid to safely reopen the economy. 

According to the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, more than 5 million individuals are members
or employed in the tourism sector nationwide. 

All workers in major tourist destinations, such as in Cebu, should already be immunized from the virus,
vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

“When the pandemic struck, the nation’s tourism sector took a major hit. We believe that in order for the
industry to get back on its feet and safely open our economy, we need to vaccinate as many members of
our workforce as possible,” Galvez said.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the task force "committed to allocate" 20,000 doses
weekly for tourism workers. 

According to Puyat, eligible employees for vaccination include hotel and resort employees, workers at
restaurants, airports, and "members of the informal economy who are doing business in tourist
destinations."

“These will cover everybody that tourists come in contact with,” Puyat said.

This week, Puyat said her agency has made progress in vaccinating members of the tourism sector, with 99
percent of hotel staff in Metro Manila already vaccinated. 

If other tourism operators are included in the NCR, the vaccination rate was at 95 percent, she added. 

In Boracay, meanwhile, 73 percent of tourism workers are already vaccinated, Puyat said. The DOT has also
already started vaccinating tourism workers in other destinations like Bohol, Baguio and Palawan.

Galvez added that vaccinating all tourism workers would be possible with a steady supply of COVID-19
vaccines, pointing out that nearly 14.8 million jabs arrived in the Philippines this month alone.

The Department of Tourism said the 61.2-percent drop in tourism contribution to the Philippines' gross
domestic product shows that the pandemic has held back the industry that contributed P2.51 trillion to the
economy in 2019.

To date, more than 19.6 million individuals are fully vaccinated from the respiratory disease, while at least
23.4 million are partially inoculated.

The Philippines is battling a surge of virus infections amid the community transmission of the more virulent
Delta variant, even as daily cases counted fewer than 20,000 in the past 6 days.
Actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin said her weight loss journey has had “struggles and
bumps,” as she encouraged her followers on the same pursuit to move at their own pace
and not let pressure get to them.

Locsin spoke openly about the topic on September 22, as photos of her with a noticeably
slimmer figure went viral.

In those photos, which Locsin posted the night prior, she is seen posing in workout attire, to
share her weight-loss progress.

Locsin, in her latest post, shared a close up of her tummy, with a smiley face drawn on it.

“About my recent post that became viral, first, I want to say that knowing how to pose the
right way can help you look slimmer. I think everyone who posts OOTDs or watched ‘Top
Model’ knows this,” she said, referring to the hit TV model search.

“So for those struggling to lose that extra weight, please don’t feel pressured. I tell you that I
understand that it’s not easy, having been fighting weight gain for years,” she said.

Locsin, who entered showbiz in 2002, has essayed numerous action roles that showed her fit
physique over the years. She was also voted the “Sexiest Woman Alive” by readers of FHM
in 2005 and 2010.

In 2015, she had a spine injury that vastly limited her movements, including the rigorous
workout she had been accustomed to, such as weightlifting.

In June this year, Locsin shared she has embarked on a new diet and fitness program to
address her weight gain, a few months after photos of her fuller figure circulated on social
media.

“Pressure did not and will not help,” she said on Wednesday. “Just take your time. Your
body, your rules. Just don’t forget to love every inch of you in the process, no matter what
other people may say.”

“You are more than your weight or how you look. What’s important is how you feel and
think of yourself. Shine. Don’t let the perception of others dim your light. I know you are
trying. I know it’s hard. I understand,” Locsin reminds her followers.

As for her own weight-loss plan, Locsin said she remains a “work in progress,” and
emphasized that she continues to grapple challenges behind the triumphs.