‘All systems go’ for gov’t’s contact tracing app StaySafe.ph

The Philippine government’s official contact tracing application StaySafe.ph

MANILA, Philippines — It’s “all systems go” for  the government’s official contact tracing application StaySafe.ph after controversies surrounding the system were ironed out, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this even after contact tracing czar and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said he cannot say if the app is “highly reliable” months after StaySafe.ph’s use was made mandatory for local government units (LGUs) and national agencies.

“Lahat po ng kontrobersiya tungkol dito sa app na ito ay natapos na. Lahat po ng kinakailangang i-donate ay na-donate na po sa Philippine government,” Roque said in an online briefing when sought to comment on Magalong’s remarks.

(All controversies involving this app are over. Everything that has to be donated has been donated to the Philippine government.)

“So iyong usapin po na marami pang deliverables, tapos na po lahat iyan and we have decided to go full speed ahead with StaySafe.ph. All systems go na po tayo,” he added.

(Regarding deliverables, all of that have been accomplished and we have decided to go full speed ahead with StaySafe.ph. All systems go.)

The app’s developer Multisys Technologies Corp. turned over StaySafe.ph to the DILG in March. The DILG intends to integrate StaySafe.ph with the LGUs’ respective contact-tracing apps.

It was back in November 2020 when the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) made the use of StayStay.ph app mandatory for national government agencies and LGUs.

Previously, Multisys admitted it was met with trust issues on handling data and doubts of its capability to do contact tracing.

But the government allayed fears on StaySafe.ph, saying that it will own the data coming from the application.

JPV