Covid-19 contact-tracing app now available for Angeleños

ANGELES CITY--A contact-tracing application for Angeleños is now available online.

The "StaySafe.PH" is the national contact tracing platform endorsed by the National Task Force and the Inter-Agency Task Force, is now available for download on mobile phones for free.

The same app is used by other local government units in the country.

Through Executive Order No. 17, Series of 2020, Angeleños are required to use the application, as part of the city government's intensified contact-tracing program against COVID-19.

Multisyscorp Representative Kirk Esconili said the application can collate information on the users’ health condition, obtained through a 300-meter radius scan.

“After downloading the application, users need to answer questions regarding their current health condition, which will then be recorded in the database. This will help identify those who have mild and severe conditions and users of the app will be able to see those who are within their 300-meter radius,” Esconili said.

He added that once the city government uploaded positive cases, these data will be shown to all users so they will be more aware and conscious of the places where they are going.

Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr., appealed to Angeleños to be honest in answering the questions required by the app for the successful implementation of the program.

He also assured the public that information collected through the StaySafe.PH will remain safe and that the privacy of the users of the application will be protected.

Lazatin added that the app will also better mobilize the city’s response team.

“Once a user reports possible COVID-19 symptoms via the StaySafe.Ph application, the Angeles City Command Cen t er

will contact the user and follow-up on his or her conditions. Upon further analysis and recommendation of the City Health Office, the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office will then take action”, he said.

Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center Chief Dr. Froilan Canlas said the StaySafe.PH application will help in the city’s ongoing COVID-19 case management in hospitals.

“With this app, our database will be more updated. That is why we will encourage every hospital facility in the city to use the app,” Canlas said.