Philippines OK’s COVID-19 vaccination certificates from eight countries

The Philippine government has recognized national COVID-19 vaccination certificates of eight additional countries, the Palace said Monday.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said this is provided under Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution 162-B which recognizes the COVID-19 vaccination certificates of Egypt, Maldives, Palau, Albania, Estonia, Greece, Malta and Uruguay, "for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement."

"This is in addition to other countries/territories/jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination the IATF has already approved for recognition in the Philippines, and without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF for all inbound travelers," Nograles said.

Likewise, Nograles said the IATF has directed the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation - One-Stop-Shop and the Bureau of Immigration to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF.

The Philippines has at least 60,000 active COVID-19 cases so far.

Of this number, 1,712 new COVID-19 cases were recorded on February 20.

At least 62 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, and the government is eyeing to fully vaccinate 77 million Filipinos against COVID-19 by March and 90 million by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte's term on June 30, 2022. — RSJ, GMA News