House panel OKs National ID bill

MANILA, Philippines - Every Filipino may have a “Filipino ID card” soon.

The House committees on revision of laws and on appropriations have approved the proposed bill seeking to implement a national identification system, which authors said would help facilitate transactions with government and improve delivery of basic services.

Approved was House Bill 5060 or the proposed “Filipino Identification System Act” authored by Reps. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Rodel Batocabe, Al Francis Bichara, Rodolfo Biazon, Christopher Co, Anthony del Rosario, Ferdinand Hernandez, Elisa Kho, Gavini Pancho, Maximo Rodriguez, and Rufus Rodriguez.

Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, chairpersons of the committees on revision of laws and on appropriations, respectively, said the measure “shall gradually concert and consolidate all existing government initiated identification system into one integrated and efficient identification system.”

The bill will also “institutionalize a national information card for all Filipinos that would ensure facilitation and streamline government transactions, and help promote a progressive society through an efficient delivery of basic services,” the authors said.

Under the measure, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs are the implementing agencies of the program tasked to create and maintain a Filipino Citizen Registry.

Section 4 of HB 5060 states that “every Filipino, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad is mandated to register personal information required by the ID system and upon application shall be issued a non-transferable Filipino ID card with an ID number that shall be valid for life.”