The Safe, Swift and Smart Passage or S-PaSS, an innovative travel management system where the public can access information on travel restrictions implemented by the Local Government Units (LGU), is expected to be formally launched on Friday, March 26, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Wednesday, March 24.
The formal launch of S-PaSS will be made almost a month after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Emerging Infectious Diseases IATF-EID) institutionalized it as a one-stop communication and coordination platform for travelers and LGUs through Resolution No. 101
"DOST is now coordinating directly with LGUs for the activation of their accounts and for the full roll-out. Likewise, necessary orientation as well as trainings for the LGUs are being conducted for the full implementation of S-PaSS,” read the statement issued by the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute (STII).
The formal launch will be attended by high-ranking officials from the DOST, Department of Interior and Local Government, League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, local chief executives, the media and other partners and stakeholders.
S-PaSS serves as an innovative travel management system for local travelers who are returning to or visiting different localities in time for the holidays, for vacation or for business, the DOST-STII said.
It clarified that the S-PaSS "is not a contract tracing system like the StaySafe.ph which is a community-driven contact tracing, health condition reporting and social distancing system being adopted by LGUs and also approved by the IATF.”
DOST Regional Office VI, which developed the system, has started conducting several trainings to educate the LGUs on how to use the S-PaSS, it said.
The DOST-STII said the S-PaSS aims to facilitate a safe, swift, and smart coordination of travels to the destination LGUs.
"Travelers can check the travel restrictions of their destination through https://s-pass.ph.If the final destination has restricted travel policy, the traveler can now apply for a Travel Coordination Permit (TCP) through the S-PaSS. The TCP now replaces the previously required Travel Authority,” it said.
"On the other hand, if the final destination of the traveler is classified as unrestricted but will have to pass through restricted LGUs before reaching their final destination, travelers should also apply for a Travel Pass-Through Permit (TPP) aside from securing the TCP required by the place of final destination,” it added.
The LGUs were previously tasked to issue the Travel Authority to local travelers including returning Overseas Filipino Workers, locally stranded individuals, and emergency travelers.
"With the adoption of S-PaSS by the IATF, S-PaSS will allow the LGUs now to issue the Travel Coordination Permit (TCP) to replace the previously required Travel Authority,” the DOST-STII said.
Travelers who intend to use the S-PaSS will have to register using their personal mobile number and check the documents required by the LGU they are going to, apply for the TCP, and submit it through the website.
"Most LGUs have contact numbers for easy coordination and verification of the status of approval of their TCP. However, the length of time for the approval of the TCP may vary depending on the LGU where the traveler is going to,” the DOST-STII said.
"The DOST, as the developer of the system, is not responsible for how long or how fast the LGUs will approve the traveler’s TCP.”