Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin has pushed to waive the P300 fee for the “yellow card” or International Certificate of Vaccination from the Bureau of Quarantine used by Filipinos traveling overseas.
During the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology on Friday (Aug. 27), Garin said she finds it “unethical” the yellow card comes with a fee.
“Pandemic po ngayon (We are in a pandemic). Many people are losing jobs. We have a lot of expenses, PCR testing, mga quarantine na minsan di naman libre (quarantine facilities that sometimes aren’t for free)... Can this committee and other colleagues move to do away with the P300?” Garin, who is also a former health secretary, asked the committee.
Garin said the operational costs incurred by the production of these cards can just be added to BOQ’s budget.
“Congres should lobby for that. We owe it to our OFWs,” Garin said.
The suggestion of the Iloilo respresentative was supported by Deputy Speaker and Valenzuela First District Rep. Weslie Gatchalian and Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr.
The BOQ-issued Yellow Card is being used as proof of COVID-19 vaccination of Filipinos who will travel abroad.
Meanwhile, the national government is set to dry run its VaxCertPh portal where digital vaccination certificates will be issued to vaccinated Filipinos sometime in September.