Senator wants faster issuance of OFW digitized vaccine passes

Senator Imee Marcos is pushing for the swift issuance of digitized vaccination passes to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who need them for employment abroad.

In a press statement on Monday, Marcos said prioritizing OFWs will permit the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to manage the vaccination data rather than wait for local government units to overcome backlogs in submitting vaccination data of all their constituents.

“A more targeted approach is the solution. Overseas Filipino workers with existing job contracts, business travelers, and students trying to catch the start of their school terms can be among the first to be given passes,” Marcos said.

Marcos also recalled that the DICT vowed to launch vaccination passes in August during a previous Senate hearing.

“I distinctly remember because I believed it,” said the senator.

Further, Marcos suggested that the Philippines form diplomatic arrangements with countries that have a shorter list of preferable vaccines for inbound travelers.

“Major OFW destinations like Saudi Arabia and Japan have not approved vaccines like Sinovac’s, which has already been administered to millions of Filipinos,” Marcos said.

“Even the DICT’s adoption of WHO technical standards for its VaxCertPH passes, complete with QR codes, may not be enough to assure unhindered entry abroad. Reciprocal arrangements between governments need to be worked out,” she added.

The DICT blamed the slow-paced submission of vaccine information from local government units for the delays in the digitized vaccination program.

Metro Manila mayors, for their part, said they are coordinating with the DICT for the unified vaccination database. — DVM, GMA News