LT Group orders COVID-19 vaccine for 40K employees, 14K third party service workers

Tycoon Lucio Tan’s conglomerate LT Group Inc. said Thursday it has already ordered COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate thousands of workers across its businesses.

In a statement, LT Group president Michael Tan said the group has firm vaccine orders for close to 40,000 employees and 14,000 third party service providers of all firms belonging to the Lucio Tan Group of Companies.

Service providers include those that employees interact with on a daily basis like security guards and canteen concessionaires.

Mechanics are also being drafted to allow employees to access vaccines for their families and households, Tan said.

In November 2020, LT Group joined some of the country’s biggest conglomerates in signing firm orders for AstraZeneca vaccine through a tripartite agreement with the national government and business advocacy group Go Negosyo led by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. 

Meanwhile, the group said that about 90% of its more than 50,000 employees and service providers agreed to be inoculated.

This means that nine out of 10 employees of the LT Group of companies are ready and willing to get themselves vaccinated once the firm’s vaccine orders arrive by the middle of this year.

The high vaccine acceptance was attributed to the aggressive information drive the group has been conducting since early February, according to Tan.

“Vaccination is a crucial step towards the path to normalcy.  Not only does it protect you from getting severely sick but also protects everyone around you – your family, friends, co-workers and customers – from catching the virus,” he said.

“Getting vaccinated is also the key to reopen our economy. While we may not immediately return to our old ways, it’s an important step to regain our freedom and the life we once had. I therefore enjoin everyone to get that jab,” he added.

LT Group has diversified investments including the beverages, tobacco, property development, and banking businesses.

The company's subsidiaries and associates are Tanduay Distillers Inc., Asia Brewery Inc., Fortune Tobacco Corp., Philippine National Bank, Saturn Holdings Inc., Paramount Landequities Inc, and Eton Properties Philippines Inc.—LDF, GMA News