PH recognizes nat’l Covid-19 vax certs from 4 more countries

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to recognize the national Covid-19 vaccination certificates issued by Brazil, Israel, South Korea, and Timor Leste.

In a virtual public briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, acting presidential spokesperson, said the IATF’s approval is for the “purposes of arrival quarantine protocols as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement” under Resolution No. 160-D.

“These are in addition to other countries, territories and jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination the IATF has already approved for recognition in the Philippines, and without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by IATF for all inbound passengers,” Nograles said.

The IATF earlier approved the acceptance of the national Covid-19 vaccination certificate of Slovenia, Bahrain, Qatar, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.

Nograles said the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation one-stop-shop, and the Bureau of Immigration, are also directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF.