The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) has appealed to the public to refrain from applying for a "yellow card" if they do not have a scheduled trip abroad.
BOQ Director Dr. Roberto Salvador Jr. made the statement to ensure that those individuals who have an immediate schedule to travel overseas will have a slot in getting the said document.
"Sa ngayon po ay hindi po natin sila ini-encourage na kumuha ng yellow card kung hindi po gagamitin sa labas ng bansa (Right now, we are not encouraging them to get a yellow card if they are not going to use it for international travel)," said Salvador on Saturday, Aug. 14.
"Kasi po, sobrang dami po nang gustong kumuha ng yellow card, nawawalan po ng slot iyong mga talaga pong aalis na papunta sa ibang bansa (There are too many people who want to get a yellow card and those who are actually going to travel to another country are losing their slots)," he added.
Salvador said that the International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (ICV) or yellow card is a vaccination card that provides details of the diseases that a person has been vaccinated against.
“Ito po ay dokumento kung saan po nakatala ang mga bakuna na nakukuha ng mga travelers natin at puwede po nilang ipakita sa country of destination (This is a document that shows the vaccination history of the travelers and they can present it in their country of destination),” explained Salvador.
"Ito po ay recognized ng lahat ng 196 WHO (World Health Organization) signatory na nag-umpisa pa po mula noong 1935 (This is being recognized by 196 countries who are signatories with the WHO since 1935),” he added.
Salvador also noted that a yellow card is not mandatory in all international destinations.
“Ang una po nating gagawin, bago po kayo umalis papunta sa ibang bansa, makipag-ugnayan muna po doon sa country of destination or doon sa airline kung ano po iyong requirement para makapasok kayo doon (First thing you should do is to contact your airline to find out what requirements are needed in order to enter to the country of destination),” he said.
Those who need to secure a yellow card can apply through the agency's online booking system, said Salvador.
“Once naka-book na po, puwede na pong pumunta sa Bureau of Quarantine kung kailan iyong date na napili nila para makakuha o maisyuhan sila ng yellow card (Once they booked a schedule online, they can go to the Bureau of Quarantine office on their chosen date for them to be issued a yellow card),” said Salvador.
“Ang kailangan lang pong dalhin kapag nagpunta doon sa office natin is iyong passport lang po at saka iyong vaccination certificate (All you have to bring when you go to our office is your passport and your vaccination certificate),” he added.
At present, applicants can go to the BOQ's head office in Port Area, Manila and other satellite offices such as in SM Mall of Asia, Batangas, Subic, La Union, Laoag, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro in order to get their yellow cards, said Salvador.
Meanwhile, the BOQ will be opening more satellite offices to accommodate more people who are needing to secure the said document.
“Next week, magbubukas po kami sa SM North EDSA po ng satellite station; and susunod ay magbubukas din kami sa Eastwood and McKinley (Next week, we will open a satellite station in SM North EDSA as well as in Eastwood and McKinley),” said Salvador.
“Iyong mga other provincial station namin – General Santos, Kalibo, Bacolod, Palawan, Legazpi – io-open na rin po namin. So, para makatulong kami na mabigyan talaga iyong mga nangangailangan ng yellow card po (We will also open our other provincial stations-General Santos, Kalibo, Bacolod, Palawan, Legazpi. This is to serve more people who are in need of a yellow card),” he added.