VCVax passport abusers face sanction in Valenzuela
VALENZUELA City Council approved an ordinance providing strict penalties to individuals and businesses committing falsification, mutilation, tampering or alteration and unauthorized reproduction of Valenzuela City Vaccination Card or VCVax Passports.
The City Government of Valenzuela has been issuing VCVax Passports to fully vaccinated individuals and those individuals who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in authorized vaccination establishments or sites within its territorial jurisdiction.
These vaccination cards shall serve as a proof that an individual has received the COVID-19 vaccine and thus entitles him or her to certain benefits and privileges for intrazonal movement. Persons fully vaccinated need to present their COVID-19 domestic vaccination card issued by the legitimate vaccinating establishments according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
However, Valenzuela City has received reports of abuse on the use of VCVax Passports such as, but not limited to, falsification, mutilation, alteration, tampering, unauthorized reproduction, and other similar acts, that defeats the very purpose of the issuance of the vaccination cards.
Mayor Rex Gatchalian said that although there is an existing ordinance providing penalty in abuse of any identification cards there is an urgent need for Valenzuela City’s Sangguniang Panlungsod to enact an Ordinance to specifically regulate and penalize the abuse on the use of the VCVax Passport to avoid any ambiguity in its interpretation and implementation.
Anyone who violates the ordinance will be fined with an administrative penalty of P 1,000 in the 1st Offense; P 3,000 in the 2nd Offense; P 5,000 in the 3rd and succeeding offenses.
Business establishments found violating the ordinance can also have their business permits suspended or revoked. Further, the City Government of Valenzuela may also file a criminal case against the business establishment.
Ordinance No. 925, Series of 2021, or the “Anti-Illegal Use of Vaccination Card authored by District 1 Councilor Rovin Andrew Feliciano shall apply to any person who has been issued with the VCVax Passport by the duly authorized vaccinating establishments or in possession of the VCVC within the territorial jurisdiction of Valenzuela City as proof of having been fully vaccinated or having been vaccinated of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
