PH recognizes vax certs of Morocco, Kenya, Serbia as proof of vaccination


The government's pandemic task force has approved the proposal to accept and recognize the Covid-19 vaccine certificates of Morocco, the Republic of Kenya, and the Republic of Serbia as sufficient proof of vaccination for several purposes, including entry to the country.

PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar announced this as medical experts and the private sector sound the alarm over the existence of more contagious Omicron subvariants in countries with a similar pandemic response as the Philippines.

In a statement, Andanar 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 said three countries.

He added that the vaccination certificates of Morocco, Kenya, and Serbia are now accepted and recognized as 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.

The acting Palace spokesman added that the recent decision is also without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF for all inbound travelers.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation - One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF.

With the addition of Morocco, Kenya, and Serbia, the Philippines now recognizes the vaccination certificates of 82 countries, territories, and jurisdictions as sufficient proof of vaccination.

The country started to accept fully vaccinated foreign tourists in February this year.