The Makati City local government rolled out on Wednesday, Feb. 15, a standardized, digitized, and centralized online health clearance certificate system aimed at streamlining its public services and removing fixers.
A health clearance certificate, which is a requirement to obtain an individual mayor’s permit, proves that a worker is physically fit and free from infectious diseases.
"This new system is designed to provide fast and secure processing of health clearance certificates while also helping to weed out fixers and ensuring the safety of the public. This is a big step forward in streamlining the process and providing our citizens with an efficient way to obtain the certificate," Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said.
Applicants can go to https://makati.healthcert.ph and click the Health Certificate Application in the dashboard.
They can then proceed to an accredited clinic or laboratory for their chest X-ray and stool exam. The diagnostic facilities will submit documents to the MHD for approval before applicants can proceed to the online seminar about sanitation and occupational health.
Binay added that applicants may pay for the health clearance certificate through online payment channels GCash and Maya instead of going to Makati City Hall Building 2.
They will receive an email containing their health clearance certificate.
Under City Ordinance 2019-A-102, non-food-related establishment workers only need to pay P80 for a health clearance certificate, P100 for food-related establishment workers, and P150 for executives, managers, and supervisors. They also need to pay P50 for the processing of their documents and the seminar.
The health clearance certificate is valid until the end of the year and must be renewed every January.
Employees without health certificates will be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, and P3,000 for the third offense. The owner of the establishment will shoulder the penalties.
The local chief also encouraged other laboratories to apply for accreditation and submit the necessary documents to the MHD which include license to operate from the Department of Health (DOH), business/sanitary permit, a National Reference Laboratory Certificate of Proficiency, list of services, copy of contract with a service provider for health waste collection and disposal, company profile, letter of intent address to chief health officer Dr. Vergel Binay, and accreditation fee of P5,000 for facilities not located in Makati.
According to Binay, Makati City now has nine Makati Health Department (MHD)-accredited diagnostic facilities, namely, Health Screen Laboratory and Diagnostic Center on Chino Roces Ave., Healthrix Medical and Diagnostic Clinic Corp. on Gen. Luna St., Megason Diagnostic Clinic in Tejeros and Comembo, RG Medical Clinic, Inc. in Bangkal, RGO Medical Laboratory and Industrial Diagnostic Center in Bangkla, Supercare Medical Services, Inc. on H.V. Dela Costa St., The Medical City Clinic on Chino Roces Ave., and Wellnest Diagnostic Center in Poblacion.
In March of last year, Makati City said that Makatizens may also access their health records from the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) via online.
The LGU said the initiative aims to provide fast and safe medical services to the residents and to ensure their adherence to the public health and safety protocols amid the Covid-19 pandemic.