Amid reported cases of the more contagious and transmissible Delta COVID-19 variant in the country, Mayor Joy Belmonte has approved an Ordinance that will further boost Quezon City’s contact tracing efforts through the full implementation of its “KyusiPass” contact tracing app.

The ordinance also penalizes business establishments not properly using the KyusiPass, following reports that bars recently closed by the city for violations of IATF and city government guidelines were not using the contact tracing app for the purpose for which it serves.

“We found out that those bars have KyusiPass at their entrances for display only, but when we tried to contact trace their customers, their databases were empty. Such irresponsible behavior renders our contact tracing efforts useless and negatively affects our pandemic response. With the swift passage of this ordinance, we can now do random checks of various establishments and determine if they are really using the app properly”, Mayor Belmonte said.

Belmonte approved Ordinance No. PO21CC-456, introduced by Majority Floor Leader Franz Pumaren and Councilor Ram Medalla, requiring establishments to prepare their QR Codes for the full implementation of the “KyusiPass” contact tracing app not later than Aug. 15, 2021.

“We need to immediately implement our digital contact tracing app to beef up our contact tracing efforts amid the entry of the Delta variant in the country,” said Belmonte.

“Susi para mapigil ang pagkalat ng Delta variant ang pinatinding contact tracing na maaari nating makamit sa tulong ng Kyusi Pass,” she added.
 
The Quezon City Council earlier approved Ordinance No. 3019, S-2021 or the “KyusiPass” Ordinance, which provided business establishments with a six-month transition period before its full implementation.

“Considering the reported cases of a more contagious and transmissible COVID-19 variant, e.g. Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, there is a need to fully implement the “KyusiPass Ordinance” to not later than August 15, 2021,” the Ordinance stated.

Business establishments that fail to comply will be penalized in accordance with Section 6 of Ordinance No. 3019, S-2021, which, for the first offense, imposes a P3,000 fine and suspension of franchise or business permit until violation has been rectified.

A P5,000 fine and suspension of franchise or business permit with issuance of temporary closure order will be meted for the second offense.

For the third offense, the business permit or franchise will be revoked and a closure order will be issued, on top of the P5,000 fine.

The QC government has implemented KyusiPass, a contact tracing app powered by SafePass, to provide contactless and more efficient contact tracing, in compliance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2020-007 and IATF Resolution No. 42 Series of 2020.

Under the Ordinance, business owners must secure a dedicated QR Code per establishment from the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD).

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