PH now accepts Covid-19 vax certificates from 8 more nations

MANILA – The Philippines is accepting and recognizing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination certificates from eight more nations, Malacañang announced on Monday.

In a press statement, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also acting presidential spokesperson, said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved on Sunday the recognition of the national Covid-19 vaccination certificates of Egypt, Maldives, Palau, Albania, Estonia, Greece, Malta, and Uruguay “for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement.”

He said the vaccination certificates will be an 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 the IATF for all inbound travelers.

The Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation-One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration have been directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF, he added.

Earlier, the IATF said the Philippines will recognize the vaccination certificates from Argentina, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, and Spain.

Vaccination certificates from Azerbaijan, Macau SAR, Syria, Malaysia, Ireland, Brazil, Israel, South Korea, Timor Leste, Slovenia, Bahrain, Qatar, Switzerland, and Hong Kong will also be honored.

On Sunday, the Philippines logged 1,712 new Covid-19 cases, marking the lowest daily count the country has tallied this year.

The total confirmed Covid-19 infections are now at 3,652,203, while recoveries reached 3,535,987 and the death toll hit 55,684.