Issuance of vax certificates to start next month - BOQ

CEBU, Philippines — The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) said yesterday that the issuance of the COVID-19 vaccination certificates may start next month.

In a public briefing, BOQ deputy director Roberto Salvador Jr. noted that the government is now speeding up the system for the digital vaccination certificates.

The target, he said, is to start the issuance in September.

“We are part of the technical working group that is working on this digital vaccination card (program), with the DICT on the lead,” he said, referring to the Department of Information and Communication Technology.

Salvador added it would be the Department of Foreign Affairs that will coordinate with other countries so that the “official vaccination certificates” will be recognized internationally.

Under the program, local government units will have to upload the names of individuals who completed their COVID-19 jabs on the vaccination information system.

This as Salvador said that for the meantime, those going abroad can secure the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) or yellow card from BOQ.

“They can show the yellow card to their country of destination. The yellow card indicates the vaccines that they have received,” he said.

According to Salvador, the yellow card is recognized by 196 countries that have been signatories with the World Health Organization since 1935.

But the official appealed to those who have no immediate schedule to travel abroad not to apply for yellow card yet.

“You can apply through our online booking system. But we do not encourage anyone to apply if they do not have immediate schedule to leave,” he said.

Salvador added that due to the huge volume of applicants, they are running out of slots for those who are already set to leave, particularly the migrant workers.