The provision of “ayuda” or assistance and economic aid to sectors affected by the pandemic must be made mandatory, a farmers’ group said.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) made the statement recently amid calls to make vaccination mandatory in some sectors.

“Ang dapat na gawing mandatory at mabilisan sa ngayon ay ang pagbibigay ng ayuda at pang-ekonomikong tulong sa mamamayan (What must be made mandatory and expedited now is the provision of aid and economic assistance to the people),” KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos said in a statement.

The group emphasized that “vaccination should remain voluntary and the granting of economic aid mandatory for vulnerable and affected sectors.”

“The government can’t just impose a jab on anyone or discriminate against anyone who still hasn’t got the COVID vaccine,” the KMP said.

“Convincing people to get a vaccine will be a continuous process of education and public information on the necessity of achieving herd immunity,” it added.

It noted that there is still a high vaccine hesitancy in far-flung rural areas due to “lacking convincing information.”

“While it is good that COVID cases are going down on a national scale, a vaccination program alone will not be sufficient to shield Filipinos from getting infected,” the group said.

“The government must also ensure steady livelihood and food accessibility for the population. If the majority of the people remain jobless and lacking in livelihood, it will be hard to stay healthy both physically and mentally,” it added.