Cebu City to adopt StaySafe app, safety seal

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center has welcomed the unification of contact tracing apps via StaySafe.ph as well as the implementation of the safety seal certification program.

Though EOC deputy chief implementer, Councilor Joel Garganera, said they have not yet received any memorandum regarding the use of this app.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases through Resolution 85 has decided that StaySafe.ph will be the government’s digital contact tracing application of choice and will be made mandatory for adoption and use in all national government agencies and instrumentalities as well as by the local government units.

From the LGUs, it shall also be promoted for use by the private establishments, facilities and offices.

Those with an existing contact tracing app are advised to integrate their system with the StaySafe.ph system.

Aside from that, it was also decided by the IATF via Resolution 87 that the Safety Seal Certification Program will also be implemented along with the StaySafe.ph.

Here, all establishments, both government and private, as well as public transportation units also have to adopt the safety seal.

The Department of Trade and Industry with the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, and the Department of Transportation are made to issue the necessary joint memorandum circular to detail requirements to secure a safety seal which shall include the adoption of the Stay Safe application and generation of its QR code to be displayed in all entrances.

Garganera said, even before this safety seal from the national government, the EOC along with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, group of doctors and the businessmen, among others have also created its own app for establishment.

This app is expected to be launched soon where people would see where the highly-recommended places are safe and has followed the health protocols required of an establishment including restaurants.

“Instead of the usual guide for good food, this app will be more on safety, that’s our branding. We rank it according to how safe the place is,” said Garganera.

Garganera said whatever the national government suggests for the benefit and safety of the people, they will go for it and will incorporate it with its own measures.

Few months back, the city government issued bond paper-size quarantine passes that supposedly has a QR code, but only superficial and not as high-tech as Mayor Edgardo Labella previously announced.

Those checking the passes before do not even have a proper scanner and has scanned it through touching the surface of the QR code sticker physically.

“Mas maayo man gyud na nga e-spearhead sa national government kay lahi-lahi tag apps. Ang usa naay kaugalingon diri, lahi sad didto.We really need something to be followed,” added Garganera.

As for those without smartphones and connectivity, Garganera is positive that solutions can be made to address this concern, if everyone will just cooperate, especially the establishments.

Garganera said the COVID-19 virus is “smart, but people should be smarter and be able to find better ways for faster contact tracing efforts and prevent the spread of the virus.”

Vaccine priority

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque presented in yesterday’s presser the government’s prioritization of the vaccine once available.

Top priority would be the frontline health workers who include public and private health facilities, public health workers, barangay health workers and national government agencies including DSWD, DepEd, DILG, BJMP, and Bureau of Correction.

Second priority would be the indigent senior citizens then the remaining seniors and the indigent population.

Uniformed personnel including PNP, AFP, PCG, BFP and CAFGU are next on priority list.

This comprise of 22.8 percent of the country’s population or 24,668,128 total priority individuals. — GMR (FREEMAN)