CEBU CITY - Almost 500 workers in the construction sector in Mandaue City, Cebu and Dumaguete in Negros Oriental have received their first dose of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine, the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) said on Thursday. In a statement, DOLE-7 said it successfully conducted on Wednesday the simultaneous inoculation rollout in the two cities, the first identified local government units (LGU) to host its vaccination program. Around 179 workers received their vaccination in Mandaue City while some 263 workers got their jabs at the Robinsons Place Dumaguete and Barangay Pulantubig covered court in Dumaguete City. The number of workers to be vaccinated is expected to rise in the coming days as the program is still ongoing, DOLE-7 regional director Salome Siaton said in the statement. She said this endeavor is in line with their commitment to facilitate the administration of vaccines for workers under the "Reform. Rebound. Recover: 1 Million Jobs for 2021" project between DOLE, the National Employment Recovery Strategy Task Force, and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, which aims to source Filipino talents for deployment in economically active industries to help create jobs nationwide. Siaton lauded this endeavor to boost protection for workers in the region's manufacturing and construction industries. "We hope the combined efforts of all stakeholders will enable us to implement more vaccination programs essential to start economic recovery and restore normalcy in the lives of the Filipino people," she said. In an earlier statement, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said construction and manufacturing workers should be considered front-liners for constituting the backbone of the country's economy. He said he acknowledges challenges in vaccine supply but it was also necessary to allocate a portion for workers contributing to the economy. Siaton asked the stakeholders to religiously reinforce the implementation of public and health standards and protocols in the workplace since there is no room for complacency in the fight against Covid-19. Citing the mandatory occupational safety and health standards in the workplace, she reiterated the call for strict observance of Department Order 224-21 providing guidelines on ventilation for workplaces and public transport to help control the spread of Covid-19. (PNA) }