Responding to the pressing need for a harmonized and well-organized nationwide travel management system amid the pandemic, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VI developed S-PaSS which stands for Safe, Swift and Smart Passage.
With S-PaSS, travelers can now digitally check for travel policies and requirements, apply for the necessary travel documents, and acquire the approved documents online in the website that can be accessed through https://s-pass.ph. In the same way, LGUs can also post their latest travel policy and travel requirements publicly on a single platform. It must be noted that the S-PaSS is not a contact tracing app but a travel management system to help both local travelers and the LGUs.
The system also uses QR code technology to ensure the authenticity of the travel documents thereby preventing the movement of unauthorized persons.
Recognizing the capability of S-PaSS in addressing the challenges encountered by both LGUs and the travelers, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) mandated its use as a one-stop-shop application and communication platform for travelers and local government units (LGUs) through the issuance of IATF Resolution No. 101 series of 2021 on February 26, 2021.
Among the partners in implementing S-PaSS are the DOST system, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Currently, there are 93 LGUs currently using S-PaSS and 28 LGUs not using the said travel management system. There are also 2,996,797 total registrations as of writing.
S-PaSS is among the 21 technologies, innovations, and enabling R&D projects dubbed as Big 21 in 2021 to be launched on 07 September 2021,10:00AM via Zoom to be broadcast at the DOST Philippines Facebook page.