House passes National ID system bill on 2nd reading

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure to establish an identification system which provides official national ID for all Filipinos.

House Bill 6221, passed on second reading last Wednesday, seeks the creation of a National Identification Database System, which will be known as the Filipino Identification System or FilSys.

Laguna Representative Sol Aragones, one of the authors of the bill, explained that one of the purposes of the bill is to make transactions with the government more efficient.

"[Ito ay] diretso na. Kung dati kailangan mong mag-apply sa SSS, sa iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno, sa PhilHealth, sa GSIS, sa Pag-ibig, ngayon hindi na kailangang mag-apply sa kanila," she told GMA News Online in an interview on Sunday.

"Ang sistema kasi, itong [National] ID System, itong Philippine Statistics Authority ang siyang magiging repository ng lahat ng impormasyong ito at magiging synchronized ang lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno. So yung lahat ng ID mo doon at lahat ng detalye ng ID na yun, pagsasamahin mo na lang sa isa," she added.

Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, on the other hand, said in a statement that the Filipino Identification System will make citizens be more responsible for their well-being and their actions.

Under this proposal, every Filipino residing in the Philippines or abroad will be mandated to register personal data as needed by the FilSys upon reaching 18 years old.

Upon application, the individual will be issued a non-transferable Filipino ID Card (FilID) with a common reference number (CRN) valid for life.

The CRN is permanent identification number issued upon successful registration unique to every individual.

To be filed personally and under oath, FilID application is free of any charges. But standard fees will be charged by the issuing agency for re-issuance of replacement IDs.

A FilID card, which contains the personal data of the individual to which it is issued, will serve as the official government-issued identification document of the cardholder.

Likewise, the FilID has security features which make it resistant to tampering or forgery.

On the other hand, the bill protects individuals against unlawful disclosure of information or records.

No person may be allowed to disclose, collect, record, convey, disseminate, publish, or use any personal data with the FilSys, give access or copies of these data to third parties or entities, including law enforcement agencies, national security agencies or units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This, however, excludes the following circumstances:

• When the holder of the FilID expressly authorizes the disclosure of such information to a third person, entity or agency;
• In case of accident, disaster or fortuitous events, when information on the medical history of the holder such as the blood type or special medical needs or other relevant information are needed by medical institutions and health service workers;
• When the interest of the public health or safety requires so; or
• Upon the order of any competent court.

Anyone who uses false information or illegally procures a FilID and uses it, even in a legitimate transaction, will be slapped with imprisonment of not less than six months, but not more than two years, or a fine of no less than P50,000 but not more than P500,000 or both.

Any person who will willfully refuse to accept, acknowledge or recognize the FilID as the only official identification of the owner will likewise face the same penalties. —LBG, GMA News