Malacañang on Tuesday said requiring Covid-19 vaccination for employees to receive Christmas bonuses was legal.
The Cebu City government recently said it would disburse a P20,000 Christmas bonus to vaccinated employees.
Roque said the provision of Christmas bonuses was discretionary.
“Wala po akong nakikitang pagkakamali diyan kasi Christmas bonus po ang pinag-uusapan. Hindi naman po requirement ng batas na magbigay ng Christmas bonus,” he said in a Palace briefing.
“Ang requirement po para sa mga taong gobyerno ay 13th and 14th month pay,” he added.
Roque said incentivizing Covid-19 vaccination would help reduce vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos.
Almost 30 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated as of Nov. 8, Roque said.
The number, he added, was 38.64 percent of the Filipino population.
The government aims to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating 80 to 90 percent of its population. John Ezekiel J. Hirro