Vaccine cards could be a step closer to reopening the economy as safe and fast as possible.
As more Filipinos are getting vaccinated, business leaders have proposed the establishment of a unified vaccine pass system in digital form to promote safe and greater mobility in the country.
According to Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, the proposed digital pass can verify a person's vaccination status and help spur the growth of trade and travel after many businesses were hit hard by the pandemic.
Concepcion and other business leaders recently held an online forum and agreed on the need to standardize the proposed pass system for vaccinated Filipinos.
"The general agreement among the business groups was that vaccine cards should be in a digital form so that data can be centralized with the national government, and that the cards should be able to resist forgery and can take into account future vaccinations against mutations or variants of COVID-19," a press statement issued by Concepcion's camp read Saturday, May 29.
Concepcion suggested that the vaccine cards issued by various local government units must be harmonized to follow a standard format for nationwide use. He noted that government already successfully applied a similar identification system for senior citizens in the country.
The vaccine cards, he said, could be made possible if the program is implemented strategically and in phases starting with the National Capital Region Plus.
“I believe greater mobility should be given to those who take the vaccine. Seniors will be able to go out, domestic travelers will not be required to do PCR tests or eliminate if not reduce their quarantine time, and restaurants can take on more customers provided the additional people are those who have been vaccinated,” Concepcion said.
READ: Concepcion backs use of vaccine passes for safe mobility
In the same press statement, businessman Jess Varela of the International Chamber of Commerce said the country could emulate the vaccine card templates issued by countries like Spain and Singapore.
“The process takes time so we should have standardized certificates that are aligned with global standards so we don’t have to play catch-up. Now is the time to start using these templates that are aligned globally,” he said.
Ria Domingo, vice president for marketing of Philippine Airlines, agreed that the proposed vaccine cards could help jumpstart domestic tourism. "And with international standardization, we can align with other countries,” she said.
Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (RestoPH) President Eric Teng stressed that a vaccine card is a key to let people in, not keep people out.
He maintained that restaurants can safely expand capacity by allowing more vaccinated customers. Some restaurants have also offered "bakuna benefits" that grant discounts and other free items to vaccinated customers.
At present, the government has limited indoor dining in NCR Plus at 20 percent venue or seating capability while outdoor dining stayed at 50 percent. Metro Manila and four nearby provinces have eased to general community quarantine but with heightened restrictions until the end of May to curb the coronavirus case spike.
The government has administered more than 4 million doses of coronavirus vaccines since the inoculation drive started last March. Around 1 million people have so far been fully vaccinated.
The government is aiming to inoculate 9.7 million people in National Capital Region to attain "population protection" by late November 2021.
READ: Gov't targets COVID-19 jabs for 9.7 M in NCR by November 2021
Despite having the short-term goal, health authorities have cleared that the country's herd immunity goal has not been abandoned. The original plan is to vaccinate 58 to 70 million adult Filipinos to reach herd immunity status before the end of the year.
READ: Gov't sticking to target of vaccinating 70% of population vs. COVID-19 – DOH