THE Department of Interior and Local Government yesterday said COVID-19 vaccination cards are required to enter restaurants and other establishments inside shopping malls in Metro Manila and the other 38 areas under Alert Level 1.
But mall goers, according to Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya, will not be asked to show their vaccination cards when they enter shopping malls.
“Technically, you don’t need to present the vaccination card when you enter a mall. You are only required to present it when inside the mall, (when) you are going to a restaurant, spa, movie house or a similar establishment classified as 3C (closed, crowded, close-contact venues),” said Malaya.
Malaya said, though, that some malls in Alert Level 1 areas still require customers to present their vaccination cards before they are allowed entry. “It’s something that they want to do and I don’t see anything wrong about that,” he said.
Malaya, nevertheless, said the DILG is going to discuss the issue with local government units to address the problem.
“Hopefully we can meet with them very soon to clarify that the requirement for the presentation of a vaccination card is at the 3C establishments and not necessarily at the mall where that establishment is located,” said Malaya.
Malaya said vaccination cards are also required in other indoor personal care establishments, fitness studios and meeting rooms, conventions and events places.
