The government's pandemic task force has approved the proposal to accept and recognize the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine certificates of eight countries as sufficient proof of vaccination for a number of purposes, including entry to the country.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the announcement as the country further eases COVID-19 restrictions as the number of daily infections continues to dwindle.
In a statement on Monday, February 21, Nograles said that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is now recognizing or accepting as proof of vaccination the national/state COVID-19 vaccination certificates of the following countries:
- Egypt
- Maldives
- Palau
- Albania
- Estonia
- Greece
- Malta
- Uruguay
The acting Palace spokesman said that the vaccination certificates of the said territories shall be "accepted/recognized as other proofs of vaccination required for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement."
"This is in addition to other countries/territories/jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination the IATF has already approved for recognition in the Philippines," he said.
Nograles added that the recent decision is also without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF for all inbound travelers.
The Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation - One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration, meanwhile, are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF.
Last week, Nograles said the IATF has accepted the national COVID-19 vaccination certificates of 15 countries and territories for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols and for local travel.
On February 10, the country started accepting foreign travelers into the country for business and tourism purposes after having its borders closed for almost two years, with eased requirements for foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens.