MANILA, Philippines – The bill seeking to establish a national identification (ID) system for all Filipinos here and abroad was approved by the House committee on population and family relations on Wednesday, May 10.

Committee members unanimously agreed to consolidate all measures pushing for a national ID card. This means the bill will soon be brought before the plenary for 2nd reading.

The bill requires all Filipinos residing anywhere in the world to register their personal information into the central system to be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 

A registered Filipino will be issued a non-transferable national ID card with a number that shall be valid for life.

Filipinos residing or working overseas are to register for their IDs at the nearest Philippine embassy or consular office in the country where they are staying.

The national ID card would be honored in transactions concerning a person’s identity, marital status, birth, and other personal circumstances. (READ: National ID to benefit unemployed, unbanked Filipinos) 

It would be the official document to be honored in transactions with national government agencies, local government units, government-owned or controlled corporations, and government financial institutions.

“Unang-una na siyempre ang pangalan, ang permanent address, ang edad, ang sex, picture. Dapat may picture no’ng tao na nag-apply nitong ID. Meron [ding fingerprint], pero ito ay nasa loob. Kasi may mga impormasyon na ‘di na kailangang ilagay sa card,” said committee chairperson and Laguna 3rd District Representative  Sol Aragones.

(First, the card will contain the applicant’s name, permanent address, age, sex, and picture. The ID should contain the applicant’s picture. The card will also contain fingerprint information, but it will be inside the system already. Because there are information that do not need to be included on the card itself.)

Aragones said the card will also contain a common reference number.

“So pagka-klinick ‘yun, makikita na nila ‘yung lahat ng impormasyon na nando’n naman sa database (So when you click, all your information will be found in the database),” she added.

The ID may be used for applications for passport, driver’s license, Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), and the National Bureau of Investigation.

The national ID card may also be used to identify voters, schools, and employees, as well as to avail of senior citizens’ benefits. It may also be used for court, prosecutor, and police clearances, and in banking and financial institutions.

The Philippines is one of only 9 countries in the world without a national ID system.

Bills creating a national ID system were filed in the previous 16th Congress. The House of Representatives passed the consolidated version of the measures, but the bill was stuck at the Senate until the end of the session. – Rappler.com