The Davao City government on Tuesday urged its business sector to properly implement the SafeDavao QR (DQR) contract-tracing platform in their establishments.
During a Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII)-organized stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the DQR’s implementation, Lemuel Ortonio, head of the City Human Resources Management Office, encouraged businesses to implement it, as it is “for the welfare of the entire Davao City.”
According to him, the DQR aims to help enforce the prohibition of non-essential travel within the city. The guidelines for its implementation and use were released under the city government›s Executive Order (EO) 60 on November 3.
“The DQR will be used when you enter and move around within Davao City,” Ortonio said.
Once they registered in “SafeDavao QR, individuals will be provided with a one-time permanent and unique QR code. This is for residents and nonresidents who will enter and move around Davao City,” he added.
All establishments are also required to register and scan all individuals who enter and exit their areas.
“This means that all establishments are required to register with SafeDavao QR, and all their customers and clients that will enter and exit their businesses shall also have to scan” it, Ortonio said.
“We want to make contact-tracing activities of the city government of Davao faster and more efficient, so that we can help mitigate the effects of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019),” he added.
His remarks come after the Davao City Council approved an ordinance detailing the penalties for DQR violations.
Under Section 12 of the ordinance, violations include using a DQR for non-essential movement; lending a personal DQR to another person that leads to its abuse; using and possessing a fake DQR; using a canceled DQR; failing and refusing to present a valid DQR for scanning or inspection purposes when required by persons in authority; using fake identification (ID), birth certificate and business registration number, or another person’s ID or birth certificate or another’s business registration number to register for a DQR; making or selling fake identities for DQR registration; and hacking the DQR system and/or identity theft.
For the first offense, violators will pay P500; the second, P1,000; and the third, P1,500 or one month in prison or both.
Also during the meeting, (DCCCII) President John Tria urged businesses and the public to continue observing health protocols.
“We continue to remind everyone to observe protocols in the workplace, such as social distancing and handwashing and wearing of masks,” he said.