Fast-track national ID distribution to hasten delivery of services, benefits

by Manila Bulletin

Even while recovering from a second Covid-19 infection, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. met via teleconference with Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, who is also National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General, to order the faster distribution of national ID cards for use by all Filipinos by 2023. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), NEDA’s attached agency, is tasked to lead in implementing the national ID system that is mandated in Republic Act No. 11055, the Philippine Identification System Act.

According to the Philippine Postal Authority’s latest report, it has already delivered around 14 million ID cards. Although the law mandating the issuance of national ID cards was passed in 2018, it was not until last year that fixed and mobile registration centers were put up by the PSA. Alternating episodes of quarantine and lockdown also hampered registration of ID applicants. Despite these, the PSA has reported that around 50 million Filipinos — or close to half of the country’s population — have already been registered for the national ID by end 2021.

Toward the end of his term, President Rodrigo Duterte expressed impatience over apparent delays in the issuance of the national ID. A waiting period of six months to one year has been noted. As pointed out by Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, the national ID is a “trusted card used for the speedy distribution of cash aid, fuel vouchers, health benefits, and other basic services” needed by Filipinos to help tide them over the difficulties arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a recent Commission on Audit (COA) report, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas needs to catch up with the schedule of producing national ID cards for around 116 million Filipinos within a four-year period. With the easing of mobility restrictions, it is reasonable to expect a rapid ramping up of ID card production and distribution.

The law that created the Philippine Identification System or the PhilSys for all citizens and residents of the Republic, aimed “to promote seamless delivery of service; to improve the efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public and social services; to enhance administrative governance; to reduce corruption and bureaucratic red tape, to avert fraudulent transactions and misrepresentation; to strengthen financial inclusion; and to promote ease of doing business.” In order to achieve all of these objectives, “a resilient digital system shall be deployed to secure the data collected and to ensure that the people’s right to privacy, confidentiality and other basic rights are at all times upheld and protected.”

Indeed, the issuance of national ID cards is a comprehensive program that requires utmost competence and efficiency on the part of government agencies that are tasked to ensure its effective implementation. Considering that more than four years have passed since the law was enacted, citizens and residents have every right to expect that the distribution of national ID cards will be fast-tracked so they could reap the benefits from its use.

Nat'l ID rollout target: Early 2023

 

President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. met with National Economic and Development Authority Director-General Arsenio Balisacan via teleconference. The President wanted a faster turn-around in the printing and delivery of National IDs to the Filipino people. (Photo credit to the Office of the President)

By Catherine S. Valente, Manila Times

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wants the national identification card rolled out by the first quarter of 2023.

Marcos said in a Facebook post on Thursday he ordered the National Economic and Development Authority to speed up the printing and distribution of Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards during his meeting with Socioeconomic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan in Malacañang on Wednesday.

The President said the plan is to print more than 50 million IDs so that can be used by early next year.

Balisacan earlier said the Marcos administration is targeting to issue most of the national IDs by the end of the year.

"Hopefully, we can get most of these IDs either in physical form or in electronic form already available before the end of the year, and that's the instruction of the President," he said.

Last December, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that over 50 million Filipinos have registered for the PhilID, reaching its benchmark goal for 2021.

But only 14.3 million of the IDs have been delivered nationwide as of early June, according to the PSA.

In a previous press briefing, Marcos said he finds the level of issuance as "way below" target.

"Because right now, we're, I think we're up to 12 million. Is that the correct number? Yeah, we're up to 12 million. Kulang na kulang pa 'yun (that is way below target)," he said.

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, then president Rodrigo Duterte ordered the fast-tracking of the rollout of the PhilID system, which was passed into law in 2018.

The law seeks to combine several government IDs into a single national ID system.

The PSA has tapped its field offices to assist in delivering PhilIDs to registrants in remote areas.

Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte is also calling on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the PSA to find ways to speed up the implementation of the national ID system to further reduce red tape and hasten the provision of essential services and financial aid to low-income families.

Poe hits delay in printing of national ID

The e-governance law, which was re-filed in the upcoming 19th Congress and intends to shift all government transactions online, would be strengthened by the national ID system, Congressman Duterte said.

The ID will help eliminate fake beneficiaries from social support programs, enabling the government to single out individuals who require financial aid during times of crisis.

He noted that his father, former president Duterte, had authorized significant fund releases to speed up the implementation of Philsys.

According to a 2021 report by the Commission of Audit on the BSP, the national bank and its contractor who were in charge of delivering the ID cards were unable to reach production targets, which resulted in delays in the project.

"Accelerating the implementation of the national ID system will make the delivery of financial assistance swift and efficient. Aside from that, a well-maintained national ID system will help the government clean up its database of beneficiaries of social protection programs, such as the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program)," Congressman Duterte said.

"Even those who dupe the system by getting senior citizen ID cards even though they are not yet qualified to avail of the benefits for seniors will be weeded out," he added.

Representative Duterte issued a statement on Thursday in response to complaints about the delays in the production and distribution of the Philsys cards, with many waiting more than six months to have their IDs delivered.

WITH MOISES CRUZ

Philippine National ID to cut red tape

Duterte: National ID to cut red tape, fight crime

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Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) - August 7, 2018 - 12:00am

No privacy breach, government assures public

MANILA, Philippines — Every Filipino must now secure a unique, permanent national identification number.

President Duterte rolled out yesterday the Philippine Identification System Act, allaying concerns that it would violate privacy and suppress civil liberties.

Duterte said the national ID would cut red tape and reduce corruption, improve the delivery of basic services, and serve as a tool for keeping the public safe.

He noted that several administrations have tried but failed to implement the law because of the apprehensions by some groups about privacy and data security.

“Let me be very clear about this: the information that will be included in the Phil-ID (Philippine identification system) will not be any different from the information already in the possession of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or the former NSO (National Statistics Office), GSIS (Government Service Insurance System), PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, Comelec (Commission on Elections) and other agencies that gather personal data,” Duterte said as he signed the Philippine Identification System Act at Malacañang.

“There is therefore no basis at all for the apprehensions about the Phil-ID, unless of course that fear is based on anything that borders on illegal,” he added.

Duterte said the PSA would work closely with the National Privacy Commission, Department of Information and Communications Technology and the multi-agency PhilSystem Policy and Coordination Council to address all privacy and security concerns.

“If at all, the Phil-ID will even aid in our drive against the social menaces of poverty, corruption and criminal issues, as well as terrorism and violent extremism,” the President said.

The law would also promote good governance, enhance governmental transactions and create a more conducive environment for trade and commerce, he added.

The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act will establish a single and streamlined identification system in the country. Once implemented, users will have just one ID for all government transactions.

“As we all know, the President is averse to bureaucratic red tape. Through PhilSys, we hope to improve efficiency and transparency of public services and promote ease of doing business,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

“For the ordinary Juan de la Cruz, the signing of this Act means that he will no longer have to present multiple identification cards simply to prove his identity. This streamlining of information makes it likewise harder to commit identity theft or fraud,” he added.

Better service

Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones said the law would promote seamless delivery of services, improve the efficiency, transparency and target delivery of public and social services, enhance administrative governance, reduce corruption and curtail bureaucratic red tape.

“This is a historical milestone, a landmark legislation and a life-changing measure all rolled into one. We will never ever be asked again to present multiple government-issued IDs for any transaction,” Aragones said.

“We will no longer need to present multiple IDs to transact with government and private establishments that require individuals to present two or more government-issued IDs,” she added.

“Promote greater convenience to the public, avert fraudulent transactions and misrepresentations, strengthen financial inclusions, promote ease of doing business,” Aragones, chair of the House committee on population and family relations, said.

The Phil-ID could be used for transactions with GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth, HDMF and other government agencies, passports and driver’s license, tax-related transactions, registration and voting identification purposes.

“Admission to any government hospital, health center or similar institution, application for admission in schools, colleges, learning institutions and universities, whether public or private, application and transaction for employment purposes,” Aragones enumerated.

Proponents of the national ID in the Senate assured the people that the law will protect citizens’ right to privacy while making transactions with the government and private entities easier.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Republic Act 11055, which harmonizes and integrates the redundant government ID cards into a single system, would also help deter criminality.

“At long last, we now have a law that breaks the formidable barriers between government and the downtrodden and the poor due to the lack of identification,” he said.

Lacson is the principal sponsor of the measure, aside from being a perennial author since his first term as senator in 2001.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, also an author of the law, thanked Duterte for signing it.

Drilon reiterated the law would not affect data privacy as the pertinent provisions of the Data Privacy Act will still apply.

Sen. Sonny Angara, another author of the law, said the ID system will not only cut down bureaucratic red tape but also empower many Filipinos formerly without appropriate identification cards to access the formal financial system and open bank accounts.

Under the bill, a foundational ID system dubbed PhilSys will be in place. It will have three components: the PhilSys Number (PSN), Phil-ID and PhilSys Registry.

Phil-ID is a non-transferable card with the PSN and basic information.

The PSA is mandated to act as the PhilSys Registry. It protects the individual’s right to privacy, and may release information only under the following conditions:

• when the registered person has given his or her consent, specific to the purpose prior to the processing;

• when the compelling interest of public health or safety so requires, provided the risk of significant harm to the public is established and the owner of the information is notified within 72 hours of the fact of such disclosure;

• upon order of any competent court, and

• when a registered person requests from the PSA access to his or her registered information and record history, subject to the guidelines and regulations to be issued by the PSA.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde welcomed the enactment of the national ID system that assures access by citizens to a wide-range of government services and privileges.

“This much-awaited measure has become a necessity for any developing country to keep pace with global trends of technology in governance. An efficient national ID system offers benefits to practical applications in census, taxation, election registration, banking, travel documentation, social security, social welfare and other transactions with government agencies,” Albayalde said in a statement. – With Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe

Bicam approves national ID

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By: Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) 

MANILA, Philippines — The bill implementing a national ID system is expected to be ratified by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Monday after the two chambers have reconciled conflicting provisions in their respective versions of the landmark measure.

The reconciliation of the differing bills last Tuesday was swift after the House agreed to adopt the Senate’s version of the Philippine Identification System Act with minor changes.

Once ratified, the bill will be sent to President Duterte for his signature.

The Senate panel was led by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, principal author of the measure, while the House contingent was headed by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, with former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Lacson said the bill lapses into law if not signed by the President.

“So give or take by June end or before end of June, that becomes a law,” Lacson said. “This is a landmark legislation. It’s been languishing in both Houses for 18 years.”

He said the implementation of the national ID system will have an initial funding of P25 billion and he hopes it will be implemented within the year.

Lacson said such a system will not only make transactions with government easier due to its integration of various existing IDs, it will also help deter criminality while making it easier to deliver assistance to the poor.

He said there are at least 33 different “functional” identification cards issued by various government agencies.

Under the national ID system, the new ID will also be “foundational,” in which each Filipino covered by the system will have a unique, non-transferable identification marker, he said.

The system will be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Malacañang yesterday welcomed the bicameral conference committee’s approval of the bill establishing the national ID system.

“That’s good news. It is a priority administration bill,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

For their part, lawmakers yesterday also lauded the approval of the bill.

“This is a welcome development to boost the country’s security. We expect the President to sign this into law once Congress ratifies the measure,” Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said.

Reps. Winston Castelo, Robert Ace Barbers, Karlo Nograles and House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu also commended the bill that will establish a single, unified and streamlined national identification system in the country.

“The National ID System measure will provide a valid proof of identity and an efficient official identity verification of all citizens of the country,” Castelo, chairman of the House committee on Metro Manila development, said.

“The passage of the bill would help law enforcement agencies arrest lawbreakers and those behind illegal activities, including banned substances,” said Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs.

Nograles, chairman of the powerful House appropriations committee, urged the PSA to immediately implement the national ID system once President Duterte signs the bill into law.

“Let us remind the PSA to implement the measure using the budget of P2 billion we allocated for 2018. The figure is broken down as follows: P1.9 billion for capital outlay and P100 million for maintenance and other operating expenses,” he said.

Abu made a similar appeal to all concerned government agencies.

“This is very important in our fight against terrorism and other lawless elements. We expect the PSA to immediately implement this after the measure becomes a law. This will help interconnect the countless and redundant government IDs,” he said.

OSH bill

The Senate ratified yesterday the occupational safety and health standards that seeks to amend the 41-year old Labor Code, which does not penalize violations of OSH standards.

For the longest time, violation of OSH standards had no fines or penalties. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) only issues a work stoppage order (WSO) if there is an imminent danger that could result to disabling injury.

During the bicameral conference committee meeting last Monday, the House of Representatives contingent agreed to adopt the Senate version of the measure that would impose an administrative fine of P100,000 per day for non-correction of OSH standards violation, counted from the date the employer or contractor is notified of the violation or the date the compliance order is duly served on the employer.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, author of the measure and chairman of the committee on labor, said there is an urgent need to protect workers from hazards in the workplace that could be prevented if only the government has clear and effective policies on OSH standards.

“We are elated that after three Congresses, this bill is now closer to becoming a law,” he said, even as he thanked his colleagues “for supporting this personal crusade which we have been strongly pushing to give due justice to our workers and to assure a level playing field to establishments that comply to the OSH standards.”  – With Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/24/1818135/bicam-approves-national-id#uGIXQ0TvAPELvLkZ.99