TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec. 5 (PIA) -- Boholanos can still use their vaccination cards in lieu of the vaccination certificates.

This as Gov. Arthur Yap issued Executive Order No. 52-D, which effectively amended the three preceding orders especially on the use of vaccination cards and authenticated vaccination certificates in lieu of the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test. 

Issued on Dec. 1, EO 52-D extended EO 52-A which allowed fully vaccinated individuals to present as their entry document to Bohol their validated and authenticated vaccination certificate.

It may be recalled that the governor earlier issued EO 52 on Oct. 33 which lifted the negative for coronavirus disease in a test result validated by RT-PCR as entry to Bohol requirement by fully vaccinated individuals.

However, the requirement for vaccination certificate proved to be a challenge as several local government units (LGUs) failed to immediately update their vaccination records and upload the same to the Department of Health (DOH) website.

The said files from the LGUs provide the data for DOH to give out the vaccination certificates.

With this, the governor issued EO 52-A, which temporarily allowed fully vaccinated individuals who wish to return to Bohol to present his duly signed and authenticated vaccination card, along with a government-issued identification card and an approved S-pass in the absence of vaccination certificate until Nov. 30.

A few days later, E.O. 52-B was issued temporarily accepting vaccination cards in the absence of vaccination certificates and streamlined the travel requirements for inbound vaccinated individuals.

EO 52-B lists the vaccination card issued by the LGU or DOH accredited medical institution, government issued ID and S-pass, whether approved or pending approval.

The same order lifted the endorsement list requirement which lists the approved travelers who could buy their tickets and are allowed to0 board the vessel to Bohol.

On the issue that focal persons could not immediately act on the travel application, the order allows the traveler to show approved or pending S-pass application, with the vaccination card and government-issued ID.

For unvaccinated individuals, the negative test results for COVID-19 via RT-PCR is still needed, while children four years old and below are exempted from the RT-PCR requirement.

Afterwards, EO 52-C was issued which expanded the exemption of the RTR PCR test to 11 years old and below.

It also cancels the Barangay Certificate and Letter of Acceptance as a previous travel document requirements.

On Dec. 1, the governor issued EO No 52-D  which extended the use of vaccination cards in the absence of vaccination certificate, from Dec. 1-31.

The order said the continuing mass vaccination program of the national government and the LGUs would further delay the uploading of vaccination data to the DOH website, thus the need to extend the effectivity of the previous order. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)