Sunday, May 27, 2018

Senators support nat’l ID scheme

THE proposal to have one identification form for every Filipino gained support from Senators Koko Pimentel and JV Ejercito.

Pimentel said that the national ID may be of great help in transacting with government agencies and will be useful when voting.

“Ang importante dito, makakatulong sa transaksyon sa gobyerno kasi you produce one ID na magagamit na sa lahat ng government agency,” said Pimentel.

Ejercito also supports the National ID System.

“Ang sa akin suporta po ako dyan para rin not only for database kundi for security. Saka at least iisa na lang ang ID natin ngayon hindi na 5 o 7 ang dala nating ID. So I support the ID system,” he said.

The consolidated House and Senate measures may soon become law.

According to Senator Ping Lacson, the Senate and the House of Representatives reconciled their differences and agreed on a common version of the bill in a meeting of the bicameral conference committee recently, putting it on the verge of being signed by President Duterte into law.

On the issue of security features of the ID, Pimentel said concerned government agencies are set to come up with a system that will protect digital data.

Ejercito said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and IT experts are in charge of protecting the database.

Under the version adopted by the bicameral committee, only the individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, will be stored in the ID system, Lacson said.

The two panels agreed to adopt the Senate version with minimal amendments, doing away with the proposal in the House to require sensitive information, such as the cardholder’s parents’ names, permanent address, height and weight.

Both the House and Senate versions provide for the creation of a Philippine Identification System to help citizens establish their identity “as a means of simplifying public and private transactions.”

Besides serving as official proof of identity, the ID card may be presented in requesting social welfare, services and benefits from government agencies, applying for passports and driver’s licenses, opening bank accounts, registering as a voter, and getting admitted to schools and hospitals.

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