Gov’t mulls inclusion of domestic travel for COVID-19 vaccine passports

FILE PHOTO: A health worker receives the Sinovac Biotech’s Coronavac vaccine on the first day of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) inoculation drive at the Lung Center of the Philippines, Quezon City, Metro Manila, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The government is considering including domestic travel in the coverage of COVID-19 vaccine passports it will issue to individuals vaccinated against coronavirus, an official from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said Wednesday.

In an online town hall event, DICT Undersecretary for Digital Philippines Emmanuel Rey Caintic urged local government units (LGUs) to complete data on vaccinated individuals as these will be used in the creation of vaccine passports for international sea, and air travel.

“Alam kong nahihirapan kayong kumpletuhin ang mga datos pero important po. Hindi ko lang ididiscuss ngayon pero kailangan talaga ‘yan kasi we are going to create vaccine passports for international sea, and air travel, and possibly contemplating on domestic travel,” Caintic said.

(I know you are having a hard time completing the data, but this is important because we will create vaccine passports for international sea and air travel, and possibly on domestic travel.)

However, Caintic refused to disclose more information about the creation of vaccine passports as this is still being discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

In January, the DOH already said that individuals who will be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be issued vaccine passports, noting that it could be part of requirements for international border control in different countries.

Ang Probinsyano Rep. Ronnie Ong has filed House Bill No. 8280, or the Vaccination Passport Act, which seeks the issuance of vaccine passports for those who will receive vaccine shots against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The country has so far administered over 5.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of May 31. Of this number, over four million were given as first doses and 1.2 million were provided as second shots.

JPV