The yellow card issued by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), where one's vaccination against COVID-19 is listed, is being recognized by 196 countries which are signatories to the World Health Organization (WHO), a government official said on Saturday.

"This is what we call the International Certificate of Vaccination or prophylaxis or the yellow card where all the vaccination received by our travelers are recorded. It can be presented to the country of destination. It is recognized by 196 WHO signatories which started in 1935," said Roberto Salvador Jr., the Bureau of Quarantine director during the "Laging Handa" public briefing.

However, Salvador said the agency does not encourage everyone to get the yellow card to give priority to the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who urgently need it.

"We just want to remind everyone that the yellow card is not mandatory to all who will travel. Before you leave the country, please check with your destination or to the airline the requirements needed in entering another country," he said.

Salvador said the yellow card is being released by designated BOQ offices to the schedule booked by travelers to its online booking system.

"We have to book on our online booking system of BOQ. So once we have completed our booking system and we already have a schedule in one to two hours, we can already get our yellow card," he said.

Salvador said the travelers only need to present a passport and their vaccination certificate when getting their yellow card.

He said the yellow card may be released at the main office of BOQ in Port Area, Manila and other satellite offices in SM Mall of Asia, Batangas, Subic, Launion, Laoag, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

Next week we will also open our satellite station in SM North EDSA , Eastwood and Mckinley, and our other provincial stations in General Santos, Calibo, Bacolod, Palawan, Legaspi, will also be open to help those who need the yellow card," he said.

Salvador added that the government is also speeding up the system for digital vaccine cards and they are targeting to release it by September.

"This (digital vaccine cards) will be introduced. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will coordinate in other countries to introduce this as our official digital certificate of the government for those who are vaccinated with COVID," he said. Robina Asido/DMS