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Senators call for lifting of Covid-19 One Health Pass

By Wilnard Bacelonia

October 10, 2022, 2:36 pm

<p>One Health Pass website <em>(Screengrab)</em></p>

One Health Pass website (Screengrab)

MANILA – Senators Nancy Binay and Christopher Lawrence Go on Monday said they do not see the practicality of the One Health Pass (OHP) anymore amid mounting complaints from travelers over the inconvenience of the screening system.

For Binay, the OHP is becoming an inconvenience to many, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"Mas malaking hassle sa ating mga OFW at balikbayan dahil dagdag na screening kahit quarantine-cleared at kumpleto sila sa bakuna at boosters (It's a big hassle to our OFWs and balikbayans because of additional screening even they are already quaratine-cleared and with complete vaccines and boosters). From the tourism lens, we might be turning away potential guests because of this added bureaucratic layer whose effectiveness isn't even guaranteed,” Binay said in a statement.

She also asked the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other government agencies to look into simplifying the processes like other countries as the tourism industry is starting to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Minsan, nakakatulong din naman na sumunod tayo sa (Sometimes, it helps when we follow the) trends. Other countries, even our Asean neighbors, are already liberalizing and rationalizing their entry processes. If they come from cities that have a high vaccination rate, there is no reason why we must be stricter, especially against other countries that have better vaccination rates than us,” Binay said.

In a separate statement, Go said he agrees with the idea but emphasized that concerned agencies should still have control over the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

"Ang importante po ngayon ay magkaroon tayo ng (It is important that we will have) more tourists, investors na pumasok sa ating bansa dahil kailangan natin ito sa ating (who will enter our country because we need this in our) economic recovery," Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, told the media during his visit in San Juan City.

The OHP is required for all arriving international travelers in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution 135.

It aims to prevent and minimize the entry of suspected or confirmed individuals with any emerging infectious diseases.

The OHP can be accessed through the website www.onehealthpass.com.ph. (PNA)

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