THE Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) is encouraging hotels, restaurants and other business establishments in Bacolod City to offer incentives such as discounts and freebies to fully vaccinated customers to attract more people to get vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The task force also urged businesses to convince their personnel to get vaccinated, as the city is giving "vaccination seals” once their workforce is 100-percent fully vaccinated.

This way, the EOC-TF said, it will make clients feel safe when they dine in at restaurants or stay at local hotels knowing that all the staff who assist them are fully vaccinated.

These concerns were among the topics discussed during the virtual meeting of the EOC-TF, chaired by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) chaired by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, with members and officers of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Negros Occidental (Hrano) on Friday, October 15.

"Hotels and restaurants are places where there is a high degree of interaction among guests and workers. This requires attention to compliance with health and safety protocols, for the public to regain confidence in visiting and patronizing these establishments,” EOC-TF Executive Director Em Ang said.

About 80 HRANO member-establishments were represented during the meeting.

It was learned that some businesses are already giving out incentives to customers who are fully vaccinated.

But, Familiaran said, giving incentives to patrons is only voluntary and being encouraged.

Hrano president Roberto Magalona, owner of Cafe Bob's, pointed out that member-establishments are all in a similar situation, adding that some of their personnel want to get jabs while others expressed reluctance to get vaccinated.

“We can devise a strategy to slowly convince them,” Magalona said.

Leonardia reiterated that vaccination is “our way out” of the pandemic.

“We vaccinated a lot of people but it is hard to convince others. Let’s try to do something about it. In Bacolod, fighting Covid is everybody’s business. You are influential to your employees so we are appealing to you to encourage them to get vaccinated,” the mayor said.

EOC Deputy for Medical Dr. Chris Sorongon also reminded Hrano members to be consistent in using the BaCTrac System and in observing health protocols.

Joining the virtual meeting were Councilor Cindy Rojas, chair of the Action Team on Non-OFW Returning Residents; OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., OIC-City Tourism Officer Sandra Ruth Sycip, Permits and Licensing Office head Stela Rose Rayos, EOC Deputy for Medical Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan, who is also the head of DRRMO; and LEIPO-designate Jonah Javier. (PR)