CHO stops issuing medical certificates for travel

Because of the new guidelines under the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) Resolution 101 eliminating the COVID Shield, the Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) will no longer issue medical certificates for travel purposes.

According to Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) executive director, City Administrator Em Ang, this is to comply with and fully implement the provisions of the NIATF Resolution 101, series of 2021.

The resolution, issued on February 26, approved the uniform travel protocols for land, air, and sea of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). It provides that the travel authority issued by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield and health certificates shall no longer be required.

In its recently issued memorandum, the Bacolod City EOC said that the non-issuance of medical certificates for travel will allow CHO personnel to tend to direct medical care visits and focus on the city’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

“The Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) Travel Management System of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shall be institutionalized as the one-stop-shop application/communication for travelers… The StaySafe.ph shall be utilized as the primary contact tracing system,” part of the resolution also read.

OIC-City Health Officer, Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., said that the online transactions for securing medical certificates shall continue only until April 15./WDJ