THE COUNTRY’s official digital contact tracing system – the StaySafe.Ph – may not be as reliable as what the government claims it to be.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also ordered all
local governments and the public to use and patronize the StaySafe.Ph
application which utilizes a uniformed quick response (QR) code that users show
when entering enclosed public and private establishments. And for those who do
not have smartphones, they can go to a designated help desk or customer
assistance desk for the registration with the StaySafe.Ph or for the generation
and printing of the QR code.
There is also a penalty for those, including establishments which fail
to adapt the digital contact tracing system and for the first offense, the
penalty is P2,000 and P3,000 for the next offense, and P5,000 for the third
offense.
The application can be accessed on the App store for iPhone, Google Play for Android devices and App Gallery for Huawei.
A user also needs to enter or answer questions related to health or whether the user has Covid-19 symptoms; and that is why the StaySafe.Ph may not be reliable because the user can enter false information to all the questions during registration to download the digital contract tracing application.
The application also alerts the registered user if there is somebody nearby who is exposed or has symptoms of the deadly respiratory virus. The Exposure Notification can be turned on or off, but the application can only be used if the user’s smart phone is connected to a Wi-Fi or the Internet and Bluetooth using their post-paid or pre-paid data from a telecom company. And most smart phone users do not turn on their data because it is expensive or turn on the Bluetooth because it would drain the phone’s battery and also risk being hacked or infected with malwares or spywares.
Malwares of malicious software is designed to harm or exploit any programmable device, service or network. Cybercriminals typically use it to extract data that they can leverage over victims for financial gain. And spyware is unwanted software that infiltrates computing devices, even smartphones and steals internet usage data and sensitive information.
The DILG said the StaySafe.Ph application is an effective tool for
contact tracing nationwide because it ensures consistent and unified contact
tracing reporting, making it easier for government authorities and medical
experts to keep track of the cases all over the country and carry out decisive
actions to stem the rapid transmission of the virus.
It said the application is
currently being used by some 15 million users and 700 local governments in the
country, according to the DILG. It aims to reach at least 50 million users and
connect all 1,634 city and municipal governments across the country.
David Almirol, President and CEO
of the Multisys Technologies Corporation, said the digital contact tracing
application is designed to aid in the management of Covid-19 cases by reminding
people to maintain physical distance, as well as recording and monitoring
symptoms of the deadly respiratory disease.
The application engages the
public against the spread of Covid-19 and aggregates all reports available in
desktop and mobile versions, allowing the government to respond quickly to
people’s needs and make informed and timely decisions to keep the public safe
during this time of the pandemic. (Mindanao Examiner)
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