All enclosed indoor establishments in Valenzuela City are required to use the Valenzuela Tracing Application (ValTrace app) beginning October 5, prohibiting the practice of manual collection of details through contact tracing forms.

In a meeting on Friday, Mayor Rex Gatchalian discussed the city’s new contract tracing initiative with various establishment owners, commercial operators, and merchants in Valenzuela city.

Gatchalian explained how an automated ValTrace works both for citizens and merchants, as part of the city’s intensified contact tracing against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The city government has earlier passed Ordinance 783 s.2020, mandating Valenzuela and non-Valenzuela residents to register and download their own QR codes.

Residents shall present the quick response (QR) codes upon entering enclosed indoor establishments within the city.

“The #NoQRCodeNoEntry policy will be strictly implemented for individuals who will fail to present their ValTrace QR Code upon entry. Manual contact tracing forms will be prohibited,” the city government stated in a social media post.

Both establishments and individuals are required to register in the ValTrace app by signing up at http://valtrace.appcase.net as “Citizen” (for the individual) and as “Merchant” (for the establishment), the city government added.

For the user manual, they are encouraged to visit https://bit.ly/ValTrace for downloadable signages.

“The prescribed QR scanner is for free and can be found in the same link. The scanner can be ran using any smartphone. No special device is needed. The business number in the application is your business permit number,” Gatchalian said.

Residents and merchants can contact the city’s Online Programs Technical Support and Dispatch Center through hotline number 8352-1000 loc. 1309/1531, for questions and other technical concerns.

The city government noted the registration for the ValTrace app is free-of-charge.

Valenzuela City earlier discouraged the practice of manual logging in contact tracing forms before entering an establishment and launched the use of an automated contact tracing system.

“In light of the emerging cases of Covid-19, the city government of Valenzuela takes the lead in using contactless forms—maximizing the use of technology by developing software that could help in contact tracing and in the prevention of further transmission of Covid-19,” the local government said.

Under the ordinance, the non-compliant establishments will be penalized with a PHP5,000 fine and suspension of franchise or business permit until the violation has been rectified for the first offense, and PHP10,000 with 24 hours of community service and suspension of franchise or business permit until the violation has been corrected for the second offense.

For the third and succeeding offenses, the establishment will be fined PHP15,000 and its franchise or business permit would be revoked. (PNA)