MANILA, Philippines — The city governments of Mandaluyong, Pasig, Valenzuela and Antipolo have integrated their respective COVID-19 contact tracing efforts with one another.
This was announced by Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on his social media accounts on Monday. Pasig was one of the local government units that pioneered the use of QR codes in establishments for contact tracing.
“Starting today, you can now use your #PasigPass QR code in Mandaluyong, too!” Sotto tweeted.
The LGUs of Pasig, Valenzuela and Antipolo have earlier unified their contact tracing apps in January.
Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, in a video uploaded on YouTube, also announced on Sunday that the Mandaluyong tracing app (MandaTrack) can now be used in establishments in Valenzuela, Pasig and Antipolo.
“Kung dati rati ‘yung ValTrace natin, nagagamit natin ‘yung QR code sa Pasig City at sa Antipolo City, sa araw na ‘to nilagdaan na rin natin ang interlinking agreement natin sa Mandaluyong City naman, so ibig sabihin ‘yung ValTrace niyo pwede na magamit sa Pasig, sa Mandaluyong or sa Antipolo,” he said.
(Before, the QR code for ValTrace can only be used for Pasig City and Antipolo. Today we signed an interlinking agreement in Mandaluyong City, which means that your ValTrace can now be used in Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Antipolo.
Under the agreement, there would be no need to sign up for multiple contact tracing forms once a person has a QR code from either of the four tracking systems.
“Sa ilalim ng kasunduang ito, kikilalanin ng iisang system ang mga datos at impormasyon mula sa iba’t ibang contact tracing system na mayroon ang bawat LGU na kasali,” Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos said in the same video.
(Under this agreement, a single system will recognize all the data and information from different contact tracing systems that participating LGUs have.)
Sotto said that this new development will “hugely help” residents of the four cities to fight the spread of Covid-19.
Antipolo Mayor Andrea Ynares, meanwhile, hoped that it would serve as a “model” for the Filipinos to be united in battling the virus.
The mayors said they hope to have more partnerships with other local government units in Metro Manila and other provinces. — Liezelle Soriano Roy, Trainee