Draft of Metro ID system ready by next week

The proposed identification system in Metro Manila, which is set to pave the way for the adoption of a national ID system, may be implemented sooner than expected if all 17 local executives remain supportive of the project.

Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad, spokesman of the Metro Mayor’s League (MML), said the ordinance and implementing guidelines of the project will be enacted next week unless some of their members oppose it during the draft’s deliberation on Tuesday.

"We will assess the draft created by a special technical group. If there’s no problem, we can enact the ordinance and start implementing the project as soon as possible," Trinidad told The STAR.

Trinidad said that so far, no mayor has expressed opposition to the project.

The MML is eyeing at least a month to implement the project, which got the nod of all mayors last week.

Trinidad, however, admitted that there may be some revisions on the draft but he said assured the changes would be minimal.

Under the proposal, all local government units will provide a unified ID renewable in five years to their constituents, including newborns.

Just like an ordinary personal identification document, the proposed Metro ID will carry the bearer’s name, gender, date of birth and address.

Trinidad has proposed including the names of the bearer’s parents on the ID to prevent confusion, especially those whose names are similar to their parents.

The technical group working on the ID system is still choosing among two ID formats proposed — the one proposed in Congress or the type currently used in Japan. Trinidad said they are considering tapping barangay action centers to implement the project, which will be funded by their respective local governments.

Trinidad explained that it is through the action centers that the project can be brought closer to the people even if it is more practical to tap the local civil registry where the data needed for the ID are already available.

Mayors favoring the localized version of the national ID system, including MML president and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, believe that the project will expedite delivery of basic services to the people. They also conceded that it will be an effective safeguard against terrorism and illegal activities at the barangay level.