DAVAO CITY – The local government here has discouraged offices and business establishments from asking visitors to fill out contact-tracing forms and logbooks, urging them to completely shift to the Safe Davao QR (DQR) for a more efficient contact-tracing system.
Davao City Human Resource Management Office Head Lemuel Ortonio, who leads the implementation of the DQR system, said that although it has yet to fully implement the digital contact-tracing system, offices and business establishments have been encouraged to already use the DQR.
He said the use of the "traditional pen and paper" should be the last resort.
Ortonio said that only offices and business establishments are currently allowed to scan the DQR codes of individuals, pending approval from tech giants Google and Apple for the use of the DQR’s software application that will enable individuals to scan the DQR codes of offices and business establishments through their smartphones.
Without approval from the tech giants, he said the local government could not yet fully implement the digital contact-tracing platforms.
Once the scanning feature is made available to individuals, he said the use of the traditional “pen and paper” will be highly discouraged as data collected from these forms are difficult to incorporate in the digital platform.
“Let’s make it a lifestyle because, ultimately, the main goal of the DQR is for the benefit of all because it will be easier to trace close contacts,” he added.
An ordinance requiring the mandatory implementation of the DQR system for all establishments and individuals was passed last December 7 by the City Council of Davao.
The ordinance penalizes individuals who take advantage of the DQR for “non-essential” purposes, use cancelled DQR codes, or refuse to present valid codes for scanning or inspection when so required by persons of authority.
Under the ordinance, first time-offenders of these provisions will be penalized with a reprimand; a fine of P500 or community service, or both, for second time-offenders; and a fine of P1,500 or month imprisonment, or both, for the third-time offenders, according to the ordinance.
The ordinance likewise prescribes the penalty of P500 for first offense, P1,000 for second offense, and P1,500 or one month imprisonment, or both, for third offense, for the following prohibited acts: lending of personal DQR to another person, use and possession of a fake DQR, use of a fake ID, birth certificate, and business registration number, or another individual’s ID or birth certificate or another’s Business registration number to register for a DQR, making or selling fake identifies for DQR registration, and hacking of the DQR system and or identity theft.
It added that any person guilty of tampering or hacking the online link will be prosecuted for cybercrimes under Republic Act of 2021 and any violations involving R.A. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.
Task Force Davao, the Davao City Police Office, City Health Office, and barangay officials have been directed to strictly enforce the ordinance.
The DQR system, an electronic contact tracing and travel pass platform intended to implement contactless gathering and electronic storage data, must be used by all individuals, be they residents or non-residents, who need to enter the city for essential or work/business purposes.
Establishments, covering government and private offices, event venues, hospitals, hotels, malls, stores, groceries, mini-marts, restaurants, carinderia, palengke, places of worship, educational institutions and all other organizations, including their sub-offices or branches, are also required to implement the system.