By Armando Fenequito Jr.
DAVAO CITY — The city council has passed an ordinance for the mandatory submission of a health and other emergencies contact tracing form for all persons entering the city through land, air, or sea.
(GOVERNMENT OF DAVAO / FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
The ordinance, proposed by councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, was approved during the regular session on Wednesday, April 8, afternoon which seeks to make compulsory submission of Health and other Emergencies Contact Tracing Form (CTF) for all persons entering in the city by any mode of travel.
“The CTF shall be filled out by the person seeking entry to the city where he or she shall disclose personal data, contact details, travel history and medical information, for the purpose of facilitating the improvement of contract tracing of individuals, to address, not just the current health emergencies but also future health concerns that may beset the city,” the ordinance stated.
It covers individuals who will enter or pass through the city, encompassing all incoming vehicles, vessels, and aircraft, as well as all passengers and crew aboard without regard to the purpose of their entrance.
The City Health Office (CHO) will coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure the observance and strict implementation of the ordinance and the CHO will verify the forms and keep the records.
The CTF will require following information: date of arrival, full name, nationality, ages, sex or gender, birth date, flight number or bus company and its number, name of hotel or address in the city if applicable, residence in the Philippines, local mobile number and email address.
“The CTF shall either be provided in advance to common carriers or may be made available at all ports and points of entry of the city. The CTF is to be filled up legibly, comprehensively and truthfully, and shall be submitted to the persons duly authorized to receive,” the ordinance said.
Failure to submit the CTF or any falsification will be penalized up to P5,000 and an imprisonment of up to one year. “In the event of health emergencies, failure to submit or disclose truthful information and non-compliance to the disclosure requirement shall be a ground for the filing of appropriate civil and criminal complaints as provided for by Republic Act No. 11332, also known as the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases, and other pertinent laws as applicable,” it stated.
The ordinance stated the use of Information and Data Protection All Information collected In the CTF shall be property of the City of Davao, and be treated as private and confidential.
It said this will only be used for the purpose of tracing persons in the event of exigent circumstances, emergencies, and concerns which involve public health. Persons in charge of distribution, handling, utilization, safekeeping, and other similar acts pertaining to the CTF and the information contained shall be also subject to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10173 the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
“Any misuse, abuse, unlawful or unauthorized use of the information in the CTF by any person is punishable under existing laws,” the ordinance said.