DFA Appeals to Hong Kong After Announcing Vaccination Cards Issued by PH Not Valid
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has appealed to the Hong Kong government after announcing that they won’t honor COVI-19 vaccination cards issued by the Philippines.
According to the DFA, the Philippines is considering having Hong Kong accept the international vaccination certificate provided by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) as a substitute for the “recognized vaccination record.” Hong Kong does not recognize the Philippine immunization card, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Teodoro Locsin Jr.
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“They are not related to a single source,” according to Locsin, which is why Hong Kong authorities refuse to honor them. However, Locsin expressed confidence that Gregorio Honasan II, Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), will “get the job done right” when it comes to issuing immunization certificates to OFWs.
“Numbers are uncertain, but the Consulate is seeking to get the Philippine BOQ international vaccination certificate so that may be shown by Philippine travelers,” said DFA Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Eduardo Meñez when asked if any Filipinos have been affected by the said policy.
As the Hong Kong government is poised to ease the travel ban on the Philippines, this could affect roughly 3,000 stranded OFWs who were scheduled to go back to their employers. It is currently included in Hong Kong’s COVID-19 travel advice as Group A Specified Places (high-risk), requiring any Filipinos arriving there to undergo a 21-day quarantine period.
Even those who have been vaccinated must present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test obtained within 72 hours of entering the country to be included in this category. Hong Kong had relaxed its travel prohibition on the Philippines, according to the Labor Department, and will transfer roughly 3,000 overseas Filipino employees there.
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