House pushes issuance of 'Filipino ID Card'

MANILA, Philippines - A bill requiring the government to issue a "Filipino ID card" has been endorsed for plenary approval at the House of Representatives.

House Bill (HB) 5060 or "An act establishing the Filipino Identifying System Act" aims to consolidate all government issued identification cards into one national information card for all Filipinos.

The House of Representatives Committee on Revision of Laws and the Committee on Appropriations approved the bill on first reading.

Under the bill, it will be the duty of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to implement the program and maintain a Filipino Citizen Registry.

"It is important to note that HB 5060 assures protection against unlawful disclosure of information and records obtained in relation to the application for the national ID," a press release from the Congress said.

The Filipino ID card will be made of tamper-proof security material with imprinted photograph, name, birth date, gender, date of issue and the card holder's signature.

Using false information in applying for the Filipino ID or refusing to acknowledge and recognize the ID will result to a penalty of P50,000 to P500,000 and/or six months to two years imprisonment.

Upon issuance of a non-transferrable Filipino ID card, a citizen will also be given an ID number valid for life which can only be replaced when a child reaches the legal age of 18, change of name or family name such as when a married woman adopts the surname of her husband, lost or destroyed ID cards and other revisions deemed necessary by the card holder.

According to the bill, the initial application and issuance of the Filipino ID will be free of charge as part of the government's social service responsibility. Funding for the bill's implementation will be taken from the PSA and DFA as stated in the General Appropriations Act.

If approved, Filipinos residing in the country will have to apply for the Filipino ID card at the Local Civil Registrar of the city or municipality where one resides while those who reside abroad will apply at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consular Office of the country of residence.

Last year, President Benigno Aquino III expressed his approval of having a national identification system which aims to cut "red tape" and increase productivity among Filipinos.

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