PETALING JAYA: Travellers from Malaysia are now allowed to enter the Philippines with proof of complete vaccination certificate in MySejahtera, says Wisma Putra.

       Bernama reported that the Malaysian and Philippine governments had reached a mutual agreement to recognise the Covid-19 vaccination certificate.

       In a statement on Tuesday (Feb 15), the Philippines Embassy said that its government fully accepts the Malaysian digital vaccination certificate and considers the issue 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 said that several formal requests for acceptance of the Philippine vaccine certificate and confirmation of a mutual recognition arrangement had been sent 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 said that the DFA received a reply from the Malaysian Embassy in Manila stating that the Malaysian Government accepts and recognizes 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 certificate for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols.

       The Embassy added that cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles said that the IATF signed Resolution No. 161 to approve the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs to recognise vaccination certificates of the two countries “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 said.

       On Sunday (Feb 13), a total of seven travellers from Malaysia were stranded at the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport after being refused entry by authorities due to issues with their vaccination certificates.

       A passenger who declined to be named said they were told by Philippine immigration authorities that they needed to either have been vaccinated in another country such as Singapore or possess the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Certificate of Vaccination.

       The Philippine authorities said that they would not permit entry for the 15 passengers that arrived on the 8.30am flight from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

       Their passports were also confiscated and they were told that they would be deported.