Senator Poe backed the use of standard COVID-19 vaccine passports.
On Wednesday, Senator Grace Poe said that she supported the use of standard COVID-19 vaccine passports for travel and access to local establishments.
In a statement, Senator Poe said that standardizing the COVID-19 vaccine passport in the Philippines will prevent forgery.
“The passport is just a standard vaccine card with a central database perhaps with a QR code and proper safety features so it is easily verifiable,” Senator Poe said, recalling that she pushed for COVID-19 vaccine passports to be included in COVID-19-related laws.
According to Senator Poe, an official standard COVID-19 vaccine passport issued by the appropriate government agency will enable Filipinos not only to travel much easier abroad but also to help local establishments verify the authenticity of a COVID-19 vaccine card especially when there were large capacity events or when dine-in in restaurants resumed.
Senator Poe also said that businesses may safely accommodate more customers who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and transition safely to a new normal.
Under the Republic Act No. 11525 or “COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act”, COVID-19 vaccine cards only served as a record of the administration of COVID-19 vaccine to an individual, and “shall not be considered as an additional mandatory requirement” for educational, employment, and other similar government transaction purposes.
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Recently, Senator Poe filed a bill that would authorize the use of COVID-19 vaccine cards for domestic and international, as well as for entry to business establishments and public places.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Tuesday that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) had started developing COVID-19 vaccine passport to serve as proof of vaccination of persons.
According to Nograles, this could form part of the country’s health protocols.
Also, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. raised the need for a standard COVID-19 vaccine card, saying that Hong Kong didn’t accept those issued in the Philippines because they’re “not connected to a single source”.
On Wednesday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that he’ll call for a public hearing on the proposed use of COVID-19 vaccine passports.
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