THE establishment of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) will enable more Filipinos to access vital services, such as education, social protection, health care, banking and finance, according to one of the principal authors of the measure creating a national identification system in the country.
“The PhilSys is particularly important for vulnerable sectors of our population, like those who are marginalized and living in poverty and those living in remote areas. Once they have the means to prove their identity, people will be empowered to exercise their rights and privileges and access basic services,” Rep. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo of the Lone District of Camiguin said.
According to the Identification for Development initiative of the World Bank, over 16.3 million Filipinos do not have proof of identity and are hindered from availing themselves of government and financial services.
The bicameral conference committee report reconciling the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the measure is set to be ratified by both chambers before Congress adjourns next week.
Allaying concerns raised by critics that the national ID system will infringe on the rights and privacy of citizens, Romualdo, who was a member of the bicameral conference committee, said Congress has ensured that only basic personal information will be stored in the PhilSys and that such information will be protected and kept confidential.
“Only one’s name, sex, address, date and place of birth, blood type and biometric data, such as facial photo and fingerprints, are required to be entered in the PhilSys. Furthermore, disclosure of and granting access to stored data and information to anyone, even to law-enforcement agencies and the military, is prohibited and penalized,” Romualdo explained.
The reconciled version of the bill provides that disclosure of information is allowed only when the registered person has given his or her consent, specific to the purpose prior to the processing, or, upon order of a competent court, when the compelling interest of public health or safety so requires, provided that 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. Information obtained as a result of any unauthorized or illegal disclosure is inadmissible in any judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative proceeding.
“The PhilSys is particularly important for vulnerable sectors of our population, like those who are marginalized and living in poverty and those living in remote areas. Once they have the means to prove their identity, people will be empowered to exercise their rights and privileges and access basic services,” Rep. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo of the Lone District of Camiguin said.
According to the Identification for Development initiative of the World Bank, over 16.3 million Filipinos do not have proof of identity and are hindered from availing themselves of government and financial services.
The bicameral conference committee report reconciling the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the measure is set to be ratified by both chambers before Congress adjourns next week.
Allaying concerns raised by critics that the national ID system will infringe on the rights and privacy of citizens, Romualdo, who was a member of the bicameral conference committee, said Congress has ensured that only basic personal information will be stored in the PhilSys and that such information will be protected and kept confidential.
“Only one’s name, sex, address, date and place of birth, blood type and biometric data, such as facial photo and fingerprints, are required to be entered in the PhilSys. Furthermore, disclosure of and granting access to stored data and information to anyone, even to law-enforcement agencies and the military, is prohibited and penalized,” Romualdo explained.
The reconciled version of the bill provides that disclosure of information is allowed only when the registered person has given his or her consent, specific to the purpose prior to the processing, or, upon order of a competent court, when the compelling interest of public health or safety so requires, provided that 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. Information obtained as a result of any unauthorized or illegal disclosure is inadmissible in any judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative proceeding.
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