National Task Force against Covid-19 signs a memorandum of agreement with SM Supermalls for the setting up of VaxCertPH booths in all SM malls nationwide. This is part of the soft launch of the VaxCertPH in Regions 3 and 4A held at the SM City Clark. (Jag Lyra Costamero/PIA 3)
CLARK — Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) launched on Monday the National Digital Vaccine Certificate (VaxCertPH) in Central Luzon and CALABARZON.
VaxCertPH is the official Covid-19 digital vaccination certificate for Filipinos vaccinated in the Philippines, which aims to make travel seamless for internationally departing passengers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as they enter their ports of destination.
During the launch held in SM Clark, DICT said that as Filipinos continue the fight against Covid-19, it is important to ensure that their vaccination information is valid, secure, and quickly accessible via a self-service portal, especially for travel.
“It is important that you have vaccine certificates. Just make sure that before you leave your vaccination sites, tell your local government units (LGUs) to upload your data properly so that you can get a vaccine certificate immediately without the need to request for data rectification,” DICT Undersecretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic said.
He also thanked the LGUs for setting up data rectification booths because the data of their constituents need to match with their passports so that they can use them in their travels.
For his part, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that currently, only the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON can use the portal, and is limited to OFWs and Filipinos who go abroad.
“This is just a soft launch because we are still working on the line lists of our LGUs. Again, I enjoin the DICT in asking the support of our mayors. I know you are busy with vaccination but you are mandated that within 24 hours after vaccination, you need to upload the line list to the Vaccine Information Management System of DICT, because if not, no record will appear in the system,” Malaya said.
He also thanked SM Supermalls for offering their malls nationwide to accommodate VaxCertPH booths all over the country.
He added that the VaxCertPH portal is for individuals who do not have a cellphone, cannot download a digital certificate, need help printing a digital certificate, or those who have correction in their data.
“However, our ultimate target is that people no longer have to go to the booths since the application is self-service and downloadable, so the less people who go to the booth, the better,” the DILG official said.
Malaya also disclosed that they are eyeing to launch the application nationwide by the end of October.
For OFWs and traveling abroad who need their vaccine certificates, they can visit www.vaxcert.doh.gov.ph for more information. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
