Valenzuela interconnects tracing system with 3 cities

VALENZUELA City Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday announced that the city’s contact tracing system is now interconnected with the systems used in the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong and Antipolo.

“Our very own ValTrace QR code can now be used across the four cities — expanding a contract tracing measure through a seamless and safe method that aspires to interconnect more cities and nearby provinces to go digital in contact tracing,” he said in a statement.

The consortium agreement means users of any of the four contract tracing application need not download separate QR codes.

“The QR codes registered and used in one city can be used to the other city included in the consortium agreement,” Gatchalian said.

Valenzuela City has been using ValTrace since October last year.

Valenzuela residents are required to get their own ValTrace QR codes, while business establishments are required to scan the QR codes of customers or visitors entering their establishments.

The ValTrace QR codes are being utilized by the city government for its VCVax Covid-19 Vaccination registration.

The mayors of the four cities were hopeful that more local government units (LGUs) will join the digital contact tracing consortium.

“This is really good for the people of Pasig who frequent Mandaluyong because they no longer need to download separate QR codes or fill up separate contact tracing forms. I am thankful to Mayor Rex Gatchalian because he was the one who initiated this,” Pasig City Mayor Victor Maria Regis Sotto was quoted as saying.

Antipolo City Mayor Andrea Ynares was more than happy with the consortium agreement as she was extra confident that the move of the cities would be a model for the others.

“We hope that other LGUs, especially in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, would join with us for a more solid cooperation and collaboration to ensure a more effective campaign against Covid-19 in the country,” Mandaluyong Mayor Carmelita Abalos said.