IATF to use DOST’s S-PaSS app for travelers’ convenience
Graphic from DOST-STII-PR
With the plan to unify travel protocols for all the travelers going to various locations in the country, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has adopted the Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) Travel Management System developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VI.
This would create a one-stop-shop application/communication for travelers as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) recently approved the uniform travel protocols for all local government units (LGUs).
On the other hand, the StaySafe.ph System shall be utilized as the primary contact tracing system by the government. Moreover, other existing contact tracing applications, such as Traze App, must be integrated with the StaySafe.ph System.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) crafted the uniform travel protocols for land, air and sea, in close coordination with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and the League of Cities of the Philippines.
The S-PaSS, developed by DOST VI initially as a travel management system, was primarily intended to make a hassle-free journey for Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs), Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs), Emergency Travelers (ETs), and other travelers during this pandemic.
The S-PaSS is also meant to benefit not only the travelers but also the authorities to properly monitor the movement of people in different locations in the effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
This is a convenient and safe way for travelers to apply for Travel Authority (TA) online, without the hassle of long queues, before visiting their local police station where the QR Code can be used to view one’s TA, to register at designated monitoring locations, and track one’s travel history.
For the part of the Philippine National Police, this will be an easier, faster and integrated process of issuing Travel Authority that can quickly generate real-time reports.
In the case of Local Government Units & Monitoring Agencies, the system will allow real-time monitoring of incoming travelers and provide convenient tracking of travelers by setting up designated monitoring locations and likewise quickly generate real-time reports.
This innovative system has a local mobility feature that replaces the use of pen-and-paper or logbooks. It can also be used to document and monitor border crossings in LGUs. The travelers will be monitored by scanning their unique S-PaSS QR Code every time they visit an establishment and offices. The system will then automatically record information on its eLogBook for recording and monitoring purposes.
Together with the use of S-PaSS, authorities shall still continue to strictly implement the minimum public health standards, such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and wearing of face masks and face shields across all settings. Clinical and exposure assessment shall be strictly implemented in all ports of entry and exit while health assessment of passengers, supervised by medical doctors, shall be mandatory upon entry in the port/terminal and exit at point of destination.
The DILG, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), the DOST and the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as the LGUs, shall together ensure the smooth implementation of these protocols.
Travelers and interested parties may email DOST VI at ord@ro6.dost.gov.ph or can call the office at 033-3200908 for more details. For safe travel and hassle-free journey, register now at www.s-pass.ph.