More overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) could be barred from entering other countries due to the lack of a unified vaccination card in the Philippines, a lawmaker has said.
Ang Probinsyano Partylist Rep. Ronnie One made the remark as he called for the passage of House Bill No. 8280 or the proposed Vaccination Passport Law, which he filed as early as December 2020.
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“I’ve already anticipated that having these vaccination passports or other forms of proof of vaccination will be the new normal in our travels and this is the reason why I filed HB 8280 months before the first batch of vaccines reached us,” Ong said in a statement.
“Had the government been more proactive in creating a national vaccination database and national vaccination card, our embattled OFWs in Hongkong would have been allowed entry without any problem. Matagal na dapat binigyan solusyon ito pero hinintay pang maging problema bago na-address yung issue,” he added.
According to One, his proposed measure seeks to create a globally recognized national vaccination passport for Filipinos as proof that travelers, particularly OFWs, are fully vaccinated.
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“I really cannot blame the Hongkong government because they really have to also protect their citizens, especially because our country is notorious when it comes to faking government documents,” Ong said.
“Yun ngang mga RT-PCR results napepeke, yun pa kayang vaccination cards? Therefore, it is very important that we have credible proof of vaccination or a vaccination passport because I am sure this will soon be as important as our driver’s license under the new normal,” he added. (NM)
