138,000 OFWs get vaccination certificates

MANILA, Philippines — Some 138,000 Filipinos have secured COVID-19 vaccination certificates from the government since the system’s soft launch earlier this month, said Undersecretary Manny Caintic of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Caintic said it had received 225,000 requests nationwide. The application for the certificate is done online through the VaxCertPH website. But Caintic said the government was prioritizing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other Filipinos planning to travel abroad and need proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The VaxCertPH program was rolled out in Metro Manila and Baguio City, and then extended to Region 3, Region 4a, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao. Once more local governments are ready, the vaccination certificate program can be launched nationwide, he said.

—Leila B. Salaverria