PH asks HK to consider int’l vax certificate for OFWs

MANILA – The Philippines is now asking the Hong Kong government to consider the international vaccination certificate being issued by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) in place of its required “recognized vaccination record,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday night.

Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier revealed that Hong Kong is not accepting the country’s vaccination cards because “they are not connected to a single source”.

DFA Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Eduardo Meñez was asked if any Filipino has been affected by the policy yet. “Numbers are uncertain, but the Consulate is seeking to get the Philippine BOQ international vaccination certificate so that may be shown by Philippine travelers,” he said.

The Philippines is currently under Group A Specified Places (high-risk) in Hong Kong’s Covid-19 travel advisory, meaning all Filipino travelers will be subject to a 21-day quarantine period.

Under this category, all vaccinated individuals are also required to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result conducted within 72 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the aircraft on top of the “recognized vaccination record”.

The Labor Department previously reported that Hong Kong was set to lift its travel ban on the Philippines on Aug. 9, which would allow more than 3,000 stranded overseas Filipino workers to fly to the former British colony.