THE local government unit (LGU) of Valenzuela has tied up with Antipolo City for an aggressive and efficient contact tracing of their constituents.
With this partnership, the former’s ValTrace app is now integrated with the latter’s Bantay Covid-19 app.
Per the agreement, the former’s QR codes can now be used when entering establishments in Antipolo, and vice versa.
Also, Rizal province’s capital and first-class component city can notify through its app Valenzuela City’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit if there is a Valenzuelano who had a recent contact with a Covid-19 patient in Antipolo, or the other way around.
Their collaboration, likewise, guarantees that both LGUs will safeguard data privacy and security covered by Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
Following the signing of a pact with Pasig City last December, Valenzuela’s initiative shows a continuous expansion through linkages with others toward the same goal of effective contact tracing.
Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian expected that their signing of the Interconnectivity Agreement with Antipolo will encourage more LGUs to integrate systems and unite best practices and programs for the greater good of gradually beating the health crisis.
“We believe the ValTrace is a program that is efficient, effective and wide in its reach…. We also believe that in the coming days, more cities will join and be linked to our QR code for an easier contact tracing with other places in Metro Manila and nearby provinces,” he said.
Antipolo City Mayor Andrea Ynares, for her part, was glad of their partnership to improve their tracking systems.
“I hope our hand-in-hand effort will serve as a model for our constituents. Even if we observe physical distancing, it doesn’t mean that we cannot be close and united. I would like to thank Mayor Rex and his team for always helping and selflessly sharing the good practices of your LGU to a stronger partnership,” she stressed.