Trillanes to colleagues: hasten passage of national ID system bill for anti-crime and anti-terror campaigns

After the National Identification Bill has passed the committee deliberation of the House of Representatives, Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV urged his colleagues in the Senate to act on the bill creating a Filipino Identification Card or known as the national ID system bill.

Trillanes said: "Aside from promoting efficient delivery of public services by curbing the perennial problem of providing various identifications in transacting with the government, this national ID system could also help our anti-crime and anti-terror campaign. By having a centralized database, we would have easy access to information about suspects, fugitives and other lawless elements."

Under the proposed measure or Senate Bill No. 95, the government will be issuing a Filipino Identification Card, which shall integrate all existing government-initiated identification system. It would serve as the official identification for all citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad.

Applicants shall apply for the registration and issuance of the Filipino ID at the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of the city or municipality where they are residing. For Filipinos residing abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority, shall handle registrations at the nearest Philippine embassy or Consular Office of the country where they are residing. The initial application for the Filipino ID shall be free of charge as part of the government social service responsibility.

Furthermore, to safeguard all the information provided in the Filipino ID, the PSA shall create and maintain a Filipino Citizen Registry that will contain all registered records and information of persons issued with Filipino ID. The PSA, being the implementing agency, shall also encourage the cooperation of the private sector and the local government units in granting additional benefits and privileges to Filipino ID cardholders.

"By having a single database of the identification of Filipinos, this measure could also reduce leakage in providing social services to the people, such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program bureaucracy and in simplifying the process relative to public and private services," Trillanes further explained.