MANILA, Philippines — Business establishments in Valenzuela will not be allowed to use manual contact tracing forms starting Oct. 5 to give way for a more efficient and automated contact-tracing method in the city.
In a tweet, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said the city government will distribute letters ordering establishments to require customers to use QR codes when entering their businesses.
“Mindful of the foregoing predicament, beginning Oct. 5, 2020, all indoor/enclosed business establishments are mandated to implement the ’No QR Code/No Entry’ policy in their respective business establishments,” read the letter.
This is in compliance with the Valenzuela Tracing (ValTrace) Application under City Ordinance No. 783, Series of 2020 which allows Valenzuela and non-Valenzuela residents to register and download their own QR codes to be presented when entering establishments.
Under the letter, Gatchalian said manual log-in of personal data could pose risk to public health. Specifically, customers repeatedly use a pen which can be a potential transmitter of the coronavirus disease.
Manual log-in is also “useless” as it is not linked to the system of Valtrace, the mayor also noted.
Gatchalian also said, “secrecy of personal data provided by the customers is unsafe if the data is contained in a form filled out by the customers.”
Under the ordinance, establishments who would violate the No QR Code/No Entry rule will have their permits revoked, face community service, or pay fines of up to P15,000.
Meanwhile, customers who would also fail to comply will be imprisoned for not more than 30 days or slapped with a fine of P1,000 up to P5,000.[ac]