Councilor Joel Alangsab has expressed support to the passage of House Bill 8280 or the “Vaccine Passport Act.”
In a proposed resolution, Alangsab said the bill intends to restore people’s trust and confidence to travel and towards reviving and bolstering the economy, adding this is beneficial to Baguio considering that a bulk of its revenue relies on tourism.
Ang Probinsyano Partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong filed house bill 8280 on Dec. 17, 2020, which seeks for the issuance of vaccination passports to those who have availed of the free vaccination program of the government or to those who have been vaccinated through personal or other means against the Covid-19.
The bill mandates all members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, particularly the departments of Health, Tourism, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Transportation for proper coordination and issuance of a single internationally-recognized vaccine passport as proof that the person has been vaccinated.
These agencies, in accordance with evidence-based or internationally-recognized policies, shall convene and regularly update the exemptions of activities allowed for vaccine passport holders such as, but not limited to international and domestic travel including non essential-travel, employment abroad, local checkpoint and quarantine exemptions, and post vaccination protocols applicable to vaccine passport holders as may be determined by the IATF, in relation to rules on public gatherings, use of face masks, and face shields.
Copies of the resolution shall be forwarded to the offices of Ong, Baguio Rep. Marquez Go, and other concerned offices for information and appropriate action. – Jordan G. Habbiling
