PETALING JAYA: Travellers from Malaysia are now allowed to enter the Philippines with proof of full vaccination certificates in MySejahtera, says Wisma Putra.
Bernama reported that the Malaysian and Philippine governments had reached a mutual settlement to recognise the Covid-19 vaccination certificates.
In a press release on Tuesday (Feb 15), the Philippines Embassy mentioned that its authorities totally accepts the Malaysian digital vaccination certificates and considers the problem resolved.
“The Embassy notes that the Philippine government’s acceptance of the Malaysian vaccine certificate is on the basis of reciprocal or mutual acceptance/recognition of the Philippine vaccine certificate, VaxCertPH,” it added.
The Embassy mentioned that a number of formal requests for acceptance of the Philippine vaccine certificates and affirmation of a mutual recognition association had been despatched to Malaysian authorities since Sept 2021.
“The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) notified the Malaysian Embassy in Manila on Feb 7, 2022 that the Philippines is unilaterally accepting/recognising the Malaysian vaccine certificate,” it added.
The Embassy mentioned that the DFA acquired a reply from the Malaysian Embassy in Manila stating that the Malaysian Government accepts and acknowledges the VaxCertPH.
It added that following this, the Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases adopted Resolution No. 161 which recognises Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccination certificates for functions of arrival quarantine protocols.
The Embassy added that cupboard secretary Karlo Nograles mentioned that the IATF signed Resolution No. 161 to approve the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs to recognise vaccination certificates of the 2 international locations “for the purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement”.
“This is in addition to other countries/territories/jurisdictions whose proof of vaccination the IATF has already approved for recognition in the Philippines, and without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF for all inbound travellers,” he mentioned.
On Sunday (Feb 13), a complete of seven travellers from Malaysia had been stranded on the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport after being refused entry by authorities because of points with their vaccination certificates.
A passenger who declined to be named mentioned they had been advised by Philippine immigration authorities that they wanted to both have been vaccinated abroad equivalent to Singapore or possess the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Certificate of Vaccination.
The Philippine authorities mentioned that they might not allow entry for the 15 passengers that arrived on the 8.30am flight from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Their passports had been additionally confiscated they usually had been advised that they might be deported.
