The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is looking into the unification of vaccination cards for fully vaccinated individuals.
In the Laging Handa public briefing on Friday (July 9), DILG Assistant Secretary Odilon Pasaraba said the IATF-EID is studying the process of making the vaccination cards uniform so that its usage will be harmonized and synchronized.
“Pinag-aaralan din ito ng ating IATF, miyembro ng IATF para sa ganoon ay uniform and at the same time harmonized and synchronized ang ating paggamit, pagrekognisa [sic] ng ating mga vaccination cards,” he said.
Pasaraba also clarified that the current IATF-EID resolution that requires the presentation of a negative RT-PCR test result at some local government units (LGUs) is still in effect. However, the department is encouraging the LGUs to accept vaccination cards of fully vaccinated individuals for their interzonal and intrazonal travels.
“Ang kabuuan ng IATF ay naniniwala na evidence-based ang mga actions at decisions ng ating mga lokal na pamahalaan. Therefore, ang DILG nirerekognisa ang mga lokal na pamahalaan na nagre-require ng RT-PCR test, at nire-recognize din iyong mga discretion ng ating mga lokal na pamahalaan na ina-allow o nirerekognisa itong mga vaccination cards – totoong vaccination cards.”
Pasaraba added that the IATF-EID will also discuss having a process of validation and authenticity of the vaccination cards to ensure that it will not be faked.
He also advised the travelers to use the S-paSS to know the travel requirements of the different LGUs.
“Kaya maaaring tingnan natin sa S-PaSS. Iyong sa S-PaSS platform ng bawat local na pamahalaan, [nariyan] ang mga requirements para sa paglalakbay ng ating mga travelers. For example, ang Baguio City, mayroon silang specific na requirement, nire-recognize nila itong vaccination cards at may mga iba naman na kailangan lang ng RT-PCR, kahit wala ng vaccination cards. So, maaari lamang na tingnan natin ang S-PaSS platform ng bawat lokal na pamahalaan,” he said.
Report from Patrick de Jesus/NGS- jlo
